Propaganda Doesn’t Own You: DrWeb’s Short Guide to Staying Grounded Online

Propaganda Doesn’t Own You: A Coach’s Short Guide to Staying Grounded Online

Propaganda Doesn’t Own You: A Coach’s Short Guide to Staying Grounded Online – By DrWeb, a digital coach

Hey friends, propaganda is everywhere these days, from headlines to memes.

It’s not about left or right—it’s about getting you to react fast, share faster, and think slower.

But you still have power. You don’t need to fix the whole internet. Pick one or two ideas here, try them for a week, and see how it feels.

No magic, just small moves that work.

Your PAUSE Check: Four Steps to Slow the Scroll

When a story spikes your emotions (anger, excitement, fear), hit pause. The story or image or site is designed to get an emotional response –don’t give it. Pause. Check…

Run this quick check:

• Pause the scroll
  Stop before clicking, liking, or sharing. Ask: “What is this trying to make me feel?”
  
• Ask: who’s talking?
  Check the “About” page or profile. Who runs this? Who funds it? Google “[site name] bias” or “fact check.”
  
• Use a second source
  Search the core claim in a new tab. Does it show up in multiple outlets? Even ones that disagree politically?
  
• See the original
  Find the speech, document, or study it quotes. Does the post match the full context, or is it clipped?

Takes 60 seconds.

Propaganda hates those 60 seconds.

Pick One (or Two) to Start

Mix and match—no pressure:

• Clean your feed: Unfollow one account or site that always leaves you riled up. Add one trusted source to your bookmarks or email.
  
• Quarantine the noise: Put known spin outlets in a separate browser tab or profile so they don’t poison your main feed.
  
• Share smarter: Never share “just to mock it.” Quote a snippet and link a fact-check instead.

You’re curating your space, not the world’s.

You Still Have Power

Here’s the truth from your friend & coach: no tool blocks everything.

Memes, screenshots, and friends’ shares will sneak through. But if you pause, check, and choose what you amplify, you’re harder to fool. You become the one who asks, “Wait, has anyone verified this?”

Try it. You’ll feel the difference.

Here’s a recent video about FInland schools, teaching their children in schools how to spot misinformation. Good idea… https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/video/schools-teaching-kids-to-spot-fake-news-and-ai-misinformation/

Want more? Librarian-approved tools? Look here!

MLA Bibliography

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Countering Disinformation Effectively: An Evidence-Based Policy Guide.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 30 Jan. 2024, https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/01/countering-disinformation-effectively-an-evidence-based-policy-guide?lang=en. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

Edutopia Editorial Staff. “Social Media Literacy: The 5 Key Concepts.” Edutopia, 29 May 2014, https://www.edutopia.org/blog/social-media-five-key-concepts-stacey-goodman. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

Poynter. “Hit Pause Media Literacy Curriculum.” Poynter, 20 Oct. 2024, https://www.poynter.org/mediawise/programs/hit-pause-curriculum/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.​

United Nations. “Countering Disinformation.” United Nations, 6 Dec. 2021, https://www.un.org/en/countering-disinformation. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

Poynter. “Hit Pause Media Literacy Curriculum.” MediaWise, 20 Oct. 2024, www.poynter.org/mediawise/programs/hit-pause-curriculum/.[3]

United Nations. “Countering Disinformation.” UN.org, 6 Dec. 2021, www.un.org/en/countering-disinformation.[5]

Some More…

• SIFT Method (quick fact-check steps) – https://web.uri.edu/learncip/sift/
• Spot Fake News Checklist (simple questions) – https://library.csi.cuny.edu/misinformation/spotfakenews
• Media Literacy Toolkit (free guides) – https://libguides.ala.org/InformationEvaluation

DrWeb here—drop a comment if one of these clicked for you. Let’s keep each other sharp.