108 - Use Trusted Sources During Breaking News

“False information spreads quickly during protests, emergencies, or major events. Double-check information before sharing it with friends or family.”

When a major news event breaks, a local protest kicks off, or an emergency unfolds in the neighborhood, our phone screens immediately light up with non-stop alerts. We naturally want to stay on top of the situation to keep our loved ones safe and informed.

During these high-stress moments, social media feeds and community group chats turn into absolute whirlwind torrents of information. For Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, the stakes during a crisis are incredibly high. Unfortunately, false rumors, doctored images, and misleading headlines travel faster than the truth when emotions are running hot. Passing along an unverified warning, even with the best intentions to protect your peers, can accidentally spread panic, misdirect mutual aid resources, or put people directly in harm's way.

Taking a brief beat to verify what you are reading is a powerful act of community care. You don't need to be a media analyst to separate fact from friction before you hit share.

You can keep your network grounded and secure during breaking news by practicing a few simple verification habits:

• Seek out multiple eyewitnesses: If a post makes a dramatic claim about local law enforcement or a safety hazard, don't rely on a single text thread. Look to see if established local journalists or trusted, on-the-ground community organizers are reporting the exact same details.

• Trace the original source: Before forwarding an urgent screenshot or paragraph of text, ask yourself: Who originally wrote this, and when? If a message has a "Forwarded many times" label, treat it with extra caution until you find the source.

• Check the timestamp: Scammers and trolls frequently recycle old videos or photos from entirely different years or cities to stir up fresh anxiety. Double-check that the media actually matches today’s date and your specific location.

Slowing down the speed of information helps protect our collective peace. Verifying the facts first ensures our community remains resilient, clear-headed, and truly safe.

What Now

If you are a member of the BIPOC community navigating a crisis or breaking news event and want to protect your network from the dangerous spread of viral misinformation and panic, follow this checklist to verify information before you share it:

1. Enforce a "Verification Pause" on Emotional Alerts: Misinformation thrives when fear, anger, or urgency are running high. Before forwarding a dramatic warning, a text screenshot, or an alarming update to family group chats or social media, take a deep breath and commit to verifying the claims first to avoid accidentally misdirecting vital mutual aid resources.

2. Trace Claims to Multiple Independent Eyewitnesses: Do not rely on a single forwarded message or an isolated social media post. Look to see if established, on-the-ground community organizers, trusted local advocacy groups, or multiple independent journalists are reporting the exact same real-time details.

3. Inspect Timestamps and Cross-Check Re-used Media: Trolls and bad actors frequently recycle old videos or photos from previous years or different cities to stir up fresh anxiety during a current event. Double-check that the visual media matches today's exact date and your specific neighborhood or location before assuming it is a live update.

4. Utilize Expert Fact-Checking and Digital Watchdog Resources: Rely on credible, independent non-profit authorities to help track media manipulation and trending digital hoaxes. You can consult specialized media literacy frameworks and verification playbooks curated by organizations like Poynter or review community-centered digital defense guides via the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

5. Establish a Safe, Verified Line of Communication: Move critical safety coordination, mutual aid logistics, or neighborhood defense planning away from public, noise-filled social media comment sections. Transition your core circle to end-to-end encrypted spaces like Signal to ensure you can securely share verified facts and keep your community resilient.

Local Resources

1. Southwest Washington Equity Coalition (SWEC)

   • URL: swecwa.org

   • Phone Number: (541) 554-5974

2. NAACP Vancouver WA Branch 1139

   • URL: naacpvancouverwa.org

   • Phone Number: (360) 216-1784

3. YWCA Clark County

   • URL: ywcaclarkcounty.org

   • Phone Number: (360) 695-0501