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How to Fact-Check a Viral Claim Before Sharing It
A three-step AI prompt guide to a verification sequence that checks the original claim and context. Includes a worked example and practical checks.
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A three-step AI prompt guide to a verification sequence that checks the original claim and context. Includes a worked example and practical checks.
Help me answer this question: How to Fact-Check a Viral Claim Before Sharing It Use this illustrative situation: You see a widely shared screenshot claiming a major organization has announced a surprising new policy. The result I want is a verification sequence that checks the original claim and context. Start by helping me extract the exact claim.
Ask only the missing questions that would materially change your answer; otherwise state your assumptions and proceed with a concrete starting point. Explain why the first action fits this case, and distinguish supplied facts from suggestions. Do not amplify an unverified allegation or identify private people unnecessarily while investigating it.
Write down what the screenshot asserts, who supposedly said it, and when. Separate the image's caption from the evidence visible inside it.
The claim might concern a policy change, but the screenshot may omit a date or link. Treat those missing details as gaps to investigate, not as reasons to fill in a plausible story.
Continue our worked example: You see a widely shared screenshot claiming a major organization has announced a surprising new policy. We have established the starting approach; now help me find the original source. Keep the result focused on a verification sequence that checks the original claim and context, using the same facts and constraints rather than changing the scenario.
Give me a worked result I can adapt, not only a list of general tips. Explain the important choice and one limitation, and keep any invented example clearly illustrative. Use the earlier context rather than assuming details we have not established. Do not amplify an unverified allegation or identify private people unnecessarily while investigating it.
Look for the organization's actual announcement and independent reporting that links to it. Check whether the wording is complete, current, and authentic.
A matching logo does not establish authenticity. Compare the quoted text with the original page and look for a correction, parody label, or older announcement being recirculated as new.
Review the approach developed for this situation: You see a widely shared screenshot claiming a major organization has announced a surprising new policy. Help me state a bounded conclusion so I can use the result thoughtfully. I want to understand what to check, what could change the answer, and what to do next.
Show how to judge whether the approach is useful and how to revise it if the first attempt does not fit. Separate checks I should perform from results actually observed, and finish with a manageable next action. Do not amplify an unverified allegation or identify private people unnecessarily while investigating it.
Use labels such as supported, unsupported, misleading context, or not yet verifiable, with an explanation. Absence of evidence is not always proof that a claim is false.
If the original cannot be located, say the claim remains unverified and avoid sharing it as fact. Save the source path so a later update can be checked rather than relying on the screenshot's popularity. For further context, consult the supporting reference.
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