Find Facts Fast: A text message course created to help spot misinformation online

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland 19, Gray television and the Poynter Institute’s MediaWise program are coming together to help you to recognize the difference between fact and fiction this upcoming election.

Find Facts Fast is a free text message course built to give voters the skills to better participate in the democratic process by helping to spot misinformation online and on social media.

“Elections make fertile grounds for bad actors, domestic and abroad, to plant seeds of disinformation, due in part to polarization, heightened emotions and a 24/7 news cycle on social feeds,” said MediaWise director Alex Mahadevan. “Find Facts Fast helps anyone … wade through the flood of misinformation we’ll see in the coming months and beyond.”

A team of award-winning journalists will teach users how to identify false information, use tools to verify content online, recognize videos and pictures that have been tampered with and think before you click.

There are several ways to enroll in the course.

• Message FACTS to 903-400-5048 via SMS
• Message FACTS to 903-459-6893 via WhatsApp
• Or click this link to sign up.

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