Which set of practices best promotes critical media literacy when evaluating sources and claims?

• A. Check source credibility; corroborate with multiple independent outlets; examine bias and framing; compare with established facts; identify misinformation techniques; reflect on personal biases.
• B. Rely on a single source and assume all claims are true.
• C. Accept information based on social media shares alone.
• D. Ignore the provenance of images and data.

Answer: (C)

Evaluating information with critical media literacy means actively verifying what you read or see rather than taking it at face value. The strongest approach brings together several interconnected practices: check source credibility, corroborate claims with multiple independent outlets, examine bias and framing to understand how the presentation might shape meaning, compare what's being claimed with established facts, identify misinformation techniques (like cherry-picking, miscontextualized data, or manipulated imagery), and reflect on your own biases that could color your judgment. This combination helps you build a more accurate picture of what’s reliable and what isn’t. Other choices fall short because relying on a single source, trusting information simply because it’s popular on social media, or ignoring where images and data come from makes you more susceptible to misinformation and biased reporting. The comprehensive, verification-focused approach best supports sound judgment about sources and claims.