Questions
Frequently asked questions
Here we have gathered the questions people ask most often about the guide and about checking what they read without unnecessary stress.
Saying “I don't know whether this is true” is a perfectly respectable answer to any sensation.
About the guide
Is this the same site that used to be here?
No. A different site used to run on this domain, and then unrelated spam pages appeared. Their content has not been kept and we are not restoring it. The guide has no connection with them; the name came with the domain.
Do you check specific news stories?
No. We explain techniques that anyone can use on their own, and we do not pass judgement on real publications.
Why are the examples so peaceful?
Because checking techniques are easier to learn on calm topics — weather, animals, space, household appliances. That way the attention stays on the method rather than on the argument.
Do you recommend specific apps or platforms?
No. We describe kinds of tools in general terms and do not name any apps or platforms.
About checking
How many sources are enough?
What matters is not the number but independence. A dozen sites that reprinted the same article count as one source. One original source is better than many retellings.
How do I tell a photo from an AI image?
Look closely at lettering, hands, reflections and the background, but do not rely on that alone. It is more reliable to find out who first published the image and when.
What if the source is in a foreign language?
You can use machine translation to get the general meaning. Important wording is best reread carefully: machine translation sometimes drops caveats.
If a story has been debunked, does that mean the debunking is right?
Not automatically. A debunking is a message too, and the same questions apply to it: who wrote it, where the source is, when it was published.
Parents and children
My elderly parents forward everything. What can I do?
Do not mock them or forbid it. Agree on a simple rule: before forwarding “urgent” messages, ask you or look for the source together.
At what age should I talk to my child about checking information?
As soon as they start watching videos on their own. Begin with a game: work out together where a video of an amazing animal came from.
How do I explain a deepfake to a teenager?
Show them that AI can swap faces and voices in joke videos, then discuss how the same techniques can also be used to deceive.
Should I check what my children watch?
It is more useful not to monitor every video but to teach your child to ask questions and to come to you if something seems strange or frightening.
Read next
- Guides
Step-by-step guides: how to check a viral story, find the original source, read news about a study and help your family. The article catalogue is here too.
- If you slipped
What to do if you shared a mistake, a relative believes a chain message, or nobody in an argument can find where a story came from.
- Security
Risks for the careful reader: emotional headlines, fake accounts, forged screenshots and cloned voices.
- Glossary
A glossary of terms: original source, context, clickbait, deepfake, metadata, verification and other concepts in plain words.
- Tools
Techniques to use when checking: reverse image search, date-limited search, web page archives, file properties, maps and street-level imagery.
Sources
- Reference materials on media literacy and information checking (general principles)
- Editorial materials of the Vovkinsite guide
The method is described in general terms as of the preparation date. Search engines, archives and forgery techniques change over time, so treat this advice as a way of reasoning rather than a final verdict on any particular post.