Rocket bursts into mission control waving a paper. "A comet shaped like a giant rubber duck! It says it will pass the station tonight!"
Raven does not even look up. "Who wrote it?"
Rocket checks. "It does not say."
"Where did it come from? Does the mission log mention it? Is it a fact, a guess or a joke?"
Nova blinks. "You just asked four great questions," she tells Raven. "Let's turn them into a checklist."
Rocket grins. "A checklist that makes me slow down. I probably need that."
Deepfakes can be highly realistic, and tiny changes can mislead.
So looking closely at a picture is not always enough.
Instead, check where it came from and whether trusted sources agree.
Generative AI can also produce content that mixes fact, opinion and fiction, without saying which is which.
And it may not admit when it is unsure. That is why the checklist asks you to sort them.
| Step | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| 1. Pause | Does this give me a big feeling fast, like shock or excitement? |
| 2. Source | Who made this, and where did it first appear? |
| 3. Second source | Do other trusted sources say the same thing? |
| 4. Sort | Is this a fact, an opinion, a joke or a story? |
| 5. Share or not | If I am unsure, I do not share it. I ask a trusted adult. |
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| If I feel shocked by a picture, that is a good moment to pause. | ? |
| If lots of people shared something, it must be true. | ? |
| If I am unsure, it is fine not to share it. | ? |
| Generated content always says which parts are fact and which are fiction. | ? |
Strong checklist, explorer. Tomorrow you use it on everyday examples and review the week.