Its harder than ever to spot fake content online. Here are some strategies.

In today's digital landscape, discerning authentic content from false information has become increasingly challenging. With most Americans relying on social media for news, the risk of consuming misinformation is high. Experts recommend pausing and questioning the motives behind every scroll to mitigate the spread of false information.

However, this is not a skill commonly taught in schools, with only 12 percent of schools offering media literacy as part of their core curriculum. In fact, more than half of U.S. adults struggle to spot fake news when scrolling online, according to a 2025 Pew Research survey. Social media platforms are flooded with false and misleading content, including AI-generated fakes, politically twisted claims, and foreign disinformation.

The abundance of this content, coupled with the design choices made by social media companies, such as endless scrolls and personalized recommendation algorithms, creates an environment where synthetic content performs best. Limited moderation on these platforms allows fake news to spread unchecked, further exacerbating the problem.