Tips for Fact-Checking Information

As a first-time founder, here’s one lesson that hit me fast: Bad information is more dangerous than no information. In startup world, you move fast and make calls with limited data. But in a landscape full of AI noise, biased takes, and polished BS, even knowing what’s real is a challenge. I've always questioned the narrative—but now, building a company, the cost of trusting the wrong “truth” is way higher. So, we've developed systems to cut through the noise. Here are three simple but powerful frameworks I've learned over the years that I lean on constantly: 🔍 CRAAP Test - From the academic world, but still gold: Currency – Is this info actually up to date? (Especially in tech, yesterday’s truth is today’s myth.) Relevance – Does it apply to my situation, or just sound good? Authority – Who’s saying it? Have they done it, or are they just loud? Accuracy – Can I fact-check this or cross-reference it? Purpose – Is there an agenda, a sale, or a spin? 🧐 RAVEN Method - A credibility gut-check: Reputation – Does this person/source have a track record of being right? Ability to Observe – Are they speaking from experience or just quoting others? Vested Interest – What do they gain from me believing this? Expertise – Are they qualified in this space, or just internet famous? Neutrality – Are they showing multiple sides or pushing one narrative? 🕵️ SIFT - The quick digital sanity check: Stop – Before reacting or sharing, take a breath. Investigate the source – Who created this and why? Find better coverage – Do other trusted sources say the same? Trace claims back – Can you find the original data or context? Startups already have enough risk. No need to add “believed the wrong blog post” to the list. Fellow founders: how do you separate signal from noise? Would love to hear what’s working for you. Drop it below 👇

Article from NY Times: More than two years after ChatGPT's introduction, organizations and individuals are using AI systems for an increasingly wide range of tasks. However, ensuring these systems provide accurate information remains an unsolved challenge. Surprisingly, the newest and most powerful "reasoning systems" from companies like OpenAI, Google, and Chinese startup DeepSeek are generating more errors rather than fewer. While their mathematical abilities have improved, their factual reliability has declined, with hallucination rates higher in certain tests. The root of this problem lies in how modern AI systems function. They learn by analyzing enormous amounts of digital data and use mathematical probabilities to predict the best response, rather than following strict human-defined rules about truth. As Amr Awadallah, CEO of Vectara and former Google executive, explained: "Despite our best efforts, they will always hallucinate. That will never go away." This persistent limitation raises concerns about reliability as these systems become increasingly integrated into business operations and everyday tasks. 6 Practical Tips for Ensuring AI Accuracy 1) Always cross-check every key fact, name, number, quote, and date from AI-generated content against multiple reliable sources before accepting it as true. 2) Be skeptical of implausible claims and consider switching tools if an AI consistently produces outlandish or suspicious information. 3) Use specialized fact-checking tools to efficiently verify claims without having to conduct extensive research yourself. 4) Consult subject matter experts for specialized topics where AI may lack nuanced understanding, especially in fields like medicine, law, or engineering. 5) Remember that AI tools cannot really distinguish truth from fiction and rely on training data that may be outdated or contain inaccuracies. 6)Always perform a final human review of AI-generated content to catch spelling errors, confusing wording, and any remaining factual inaccuracies. https://lnkd.in/gqrXWtQZ

"From the very top of Mount Sinai, I bring you these ten . . . cybersecurity regulations." In IT/cybersecurity, the "single source of truth" (SSoT) refers to the authoritative data source, representing the official record of an organization. The broader concept of the SSoT, however, can be helpful in fighting misinformation and disinformation: 1. OBTAIN THE ORIGINAL SOURCE DOCUMENT: Much of the news we hear can be tracked down to a SSoT--an original source document. The original source document can be a judicial opinion, text of a regulation, government or corporate press release, a scientific study, or an audio/video file. 2. FIND IT ON AN OFFICIAL SOURCE: The challenge these days is that with deep fakes, it is hard to know whether you have the SSoT or a fake. Thus, obtain a copy of the SSoT on an official source. For example, judicial opinions can be found on the court website or ECF Pacer. Legislation and proposed legislation can be found on Congress' website. Press releases are available on the issuing agency or organization's website. Scientific studies are usually available (for a fee) on the publishing journal's website or the sponsoring university's website. If you cannot find the SSoT on an official website, consider finding it through a "reliable" news source--one that independently and credibly fact checks its sources, and let's its audience know when it has not done that (e.g., WSJ, NYT, etc.). 3. READ IT YOURSELF: Once you obtain the SSoT, read it yourself, rather than relying on someone's characterization of the document or an AI summary of it. AI regularly hallucinates and mischaracterizes documents and humans often have their own spin or interpretation. See https://lnkd.in/eypgWCnd. 4. CONTEXT MATTERS: Just because you have read the SSoT doesn't mean it is accurate. First, consider what sources the SSoT cites. Are their sources cited at all? Are those sources reliable? Can you review the cited sources themselves? Also, consider who authored the SSoT. Is the author credible? Does the author have a reputation for accuracy and reliability? Consider Googling the name of the document to see whether there is controversy over its authenticity. 5. WHAT IS NOT SAID: When you are reviewing the SSoT, remember that what is NOT said in the SSoT is just as important than what is said. It is not uncommon for people (and perhaps as a result, AI) to make their own inferences and inject their own opinions into their discussion of a topic, when that inference or opinion is not a part of the original SSoT at all, and may be fair or unfair under the circumstances. Deep fakes are a significant problem but the truth is out there. We all bear the responsibility to find it.

#Misinformation and #deepfakes are a HUGE concern when using AI models. Why? AI models are prone to hallucination (read: make things up /or be convincingly wrong.) AI is also being used by bad actors to create realistic misinformation with malicious intent. From rappers to political candidates, authentic-sounding deepfakes persuade us to believe or act in ways inconsistent with the way we would with accurate information. Case in point - the 2024 US Presidential election. No stranger to controversy, the next one stands to test Americans’ collective Internet patience. What should we watch for? - Disinformation: the deliberate creation and/or sharing of false information in order to mislead; - Deepfakes: a type of disinformation that uses AI to create realistic but fake audio or video content; and - Misinformation: the act of sharing information without realizing it’s wrong. How do you know if the info you see online is real? The answer lies in due diligence. Take extra steps like these to help ensure that you’re not spreading misinformation, or falling prey to deepfakes and disinformation: - To spot a deepfake, look for isolated blurry spots in the video, double edges to the face, changes in video quality during the video, unnatural blinking or no blinking, and changes in the background or lighting. - Check the source of the information! If you’re using an AI, ask it to list all URL sources (or direct and general sources for models not currently connected to the Internet, like #ChatGPT, #GPT4 and #Claude2.) - Look for other sources that confirm or refute the information. - Check if the information is being reported by reputable news organizations. - Be wary of sensational headlines. - Check if the information is being shared out of context. - Be skeptical of images and videos that seem too good to be true. (It’s time to turn the BS meter way, way up!) What’s your comfort level in spotting disinformation and deepfakes? Do you use any detection tools? Reply in comments - #ai #llm #genai #aiethics #aibias #aiart #promptengineer #generativeai #conversationalai #deepfakes #misinformation #disinformation

Well… I couldn’t resist. Today, I shared a completely fake news article claiming a woman is pregnant with her own clone—complete with a breaking news graphic and even a quote from yours truly. It was a prank for #AprilFoolsDay. But here’s the serious part: This post was alarmingly easy to make. And that’s the point. In an era of clickbait headlines, AI-generated content, and viral pseudoscience, it’s easier than EVER to spread misinformation that looks legitimate. As a genetic counselor and science communicator, I see how fast false or oversimplified medical claims can travel—and how rarely people stop to question them. 😬 It takes five seconds to post misinformation and hours (or days) of research, fact-checking, and writing/creating to correct it—by which point, it’s already out there and spreading like wildfire. Before you share something that sounds wild (or even just new), here are a few things I recommend doing: 👉🏼Pause before sharing. Ask yourself: Does this sound too good—or too shocking—to be true? 👉🏼Check the source. Is it a credible publication? Is there a real author or expert quoted? 👉🏼Look beyond the headline. Many people only read the title—sometimes the actual article contradicts it entirely. 👉🏼Ask an expert. If something seems confusing or suspect, reach out to someone in that field when possible. (This can be through social media- many science creators appreciate it when you tag them if it’s something within their expertise they can speak to.) 👉🏼Be a responsible amplifier. If you have a platform—even a small one—what you share MATTERS. Science is powerful, nuanced, and evolving. Let’s do our part to protect its integrity. Happy April Fools—and stay curious (and skeptical). #GeneticCounseling #ScienceCommunication #HealthLiteracy #AprilFools #Misinformation #MediaLiteracy #CriticalThinking

⚠️ I've seen so much misinformation in my feed these last few days that plays on my political views and biases that it's gotten me really worried. No one is fully immune, especially now with so much going on and such high stakes. 🧠 Leadership is about meeting uncertainty with agency—both individual and collective. When faced with complex challenges, our instinct is to reach for quick fixes and easy answers. But real leadership requires something harder: sitting with the problem long enough to truly understand it. Here's the catch: your understanding is only as good as your information. You can have the sharpest analytical tools and the clearest frameworks, but feed them distorted data and you'll get distorted decisions. Here's what I often do, when I encounter important information I might act on: 🔎 Lateral Reading Open several tabs and cross-check claims in real time. If that sensational headline only shows up on one site, 🚩 treat it with caution. ⏳ The 24-Hour Rule For anything non-urgent, pause for a day before reposting or deciding. Fresh facts (and fact-checkers) usually surface within 24 hrs, saving you from regret. 🌐 Diversify Your Sources Create a virtual “board of advisors.” Follow economists with opposing theories, scientists from different disciplines, and journalists across the political spectrum. More angles = clearer picture. AI tools can help you with this btw! 🤔 Practice Intellectual Humility “I don’t know” is a powerful phrase. Leaders who update their views when new evidence appears earn deeper trust than those who cling to false certainty. 📵 Digital Minimalism Choose only news sources and alerts that serve your purpose. Focus on quality over quantity - select essential tools and feeds, schedule specific times for updates, and eliminate distractions. This intentional approach helps you stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. I rarely read daily news - weekly articles and books/podcasts are a much better source of information. CC Pulse Of Change - Leadership Information Ecosystem: https://lnkd.in/e2-4nJub