Literacy trust checklist

Before you trust

• ☐ **Source** — who made this? Primary source or second-hand?
• ☐ **Evidence** — can you verify names, dates, numbers independently?
• ☐ **Motivation** — who gains if you believe it?
• ☐ **Consistency** — do other reputable sources agree?
• ☐ **Your stakes** — health, money, elections, reputation?

Synthetic media red flags

• ☐ Lip sync, lighting, or blinking looks **off**
• ☐ Audio has **unnatural pauses** or background mismatch
• ☐ Claim is **urgent + emotional** ("wire money now")
• ☐ No **disclosure label** where platform or law expects one
• ☐ Real person's likeness without **clear consent**

After an AI answer