In an era where fake news thrives and is spread like a virus through social media and even by public figures, it is often our first instinct as journalists to take the latest conspiracy and debunk it.
However, as a recent report has shown, by reporting conspiracies, journalists may inadvertently be doing more harm than good by amplifying falsehoods.
The International Fact-Checking Network has published this three-step plan on how to report on conspiracy theories to ensure that untruths are not given inappropriate airtime or column space.
"For journalists and fact-checkers covering the seedy underbelly of online misinformation, it's important to make news judgements about what to cover and what to ignore so that false narratives don't get more oxygen than they deserve," it reads.
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