S
Stop
How does the message make you feel? Angry, afraid or unusually proud? That feeling can be a warning sign. Take a breath before sharing.
For our families in Australia
Media literacy, made simple.
A calm, practical guide to checking news before you believe it, forward it, or discuss it with family and community.
Community partners
What is media literacy?
It is not about being suspicious of everything. It is about pausing before trusting something.
We share news every day — on WhatsApp, Facebook, at home, and with friends at the temple, mosque, church or gurdwara. Some of it is true. Some of it is wrong. And some of it is changed on purpose to make people afraid or angry.
Learning to tell the difference is a skill, not a talent. Anyone can build it, at any age.
Before you share
Four small habits that can stop false information from travelling further.
I
Investigate
Who is telling you this? Open a new tab. Search the website name or person’s name. Spend one minute finding out who they are.
F
Find
Has anyone else reported this? Big news travels fast. If only one source has it, be careful. Trusted papers and fact-checkers may have covered it too.
T
Trace
Where did the photo or video come from? Old images with new captions are a common trick. Use image search before believing the caption.
Your toolkit
Where to check when a claim sounds important, emotional or urgent.
When the message is about India
India
Alt News
altnews.inRigorous fact-checking in Hindi and English.
BOOM Live
boomlive.inUseful for video and AI misinformation. Available in Hindi, English and Bangla.
The Quint WebQoof
thequint.com/webqoofStrong on viral WhatsApp claims and easy to read.
Vishvas News
vishvasnews.comFact-checking in many Indian languages.
When the news is about Australia
Australia
AAP FactCheck
aap.com.au/factcheckAustralia’s newswire fact-checker.
ABC Fact Check
abc.net.au/news/factcheckHelpful for checking political claims, especially during elections.
The Conversation
theconversation.com/auAcademic experts explain why a story matters and what sits behind it.
If something goes wrong
Free places to contact when scams, online harm or unfair treatment affect you or your community.
Got a scam call, email or message?
Scamwatch
scamwatch.gov.au
1300 795 995
Run by the ACCC. Translators are available. Report it even if you did not lose money, so others can be warned.
Bullied or harmed online? Photos shared without your consent?
eSafety Commissioner
esafety.gov.au
1800 880 176
Can help remove harmful content from platforms. Support is available in many languages.
A newspaper got a story wrong about you or your community?
Australian Press Council
presscouncil.org.au
1800 025 712
Free to complain. They can review the article and publish a correction if needed.
Treated unfairly because of race or religion?
Australian Human Rights Commission
humanrights.gov.au
1300 656 419
Offers free mediation under the Racial Discrimination Act. Many cases are resolved without going to court.
Keep this simple rule
If in doubt, don’t share.
Want to learn more, run a community session, or share this guide with your family group?