Looking through newsfeeds daily is an exercise in critical thinking for me. There is a constant influx of articles with straplines such as “Trust me, I’m a personal trainer” or “I’m a dietitian, listen to me!”. For instance, today’s articles featured numerous headlines such as “Forget weights – build full body strength with this five-move bodyweight workout”, “Low-intensity workouts completely transformed my fitness – 7 best workouts to try”, “Wanna calculate your max heart rate? Here’s EYNTK about heart rate zones”, and “Seven tasty foods to lower your cholesterol levels, recommended by a nutrition expert”. While I have not actually read any of these articles, and I am certain they are all wonderful, my quest for reliable and trustworthy information often leads me to encounter a significant amount of media that is, at best, dubious.

We live in an age of information overload, where we are constantly bombarded by messages from various sources, such as news outlets, social media platforms, advertisers, influencers, and more. But how can we tell which messages are trustworthy and which ones are misleading or deceptive? How can we avoid falling prey to media manipulation and marketing?

Media manipulation is the use of various techniques and strategies to influence people’s perception of a certain topic, issue, or person. Media manipulators may have different motives, such as promoting a political agenda, selling a product or service, boosting their reputation or popularity, or simply generating clicks and views. Media manipulation can take many forms, such as:

• Using selective or distorted facts to support a claim or argument.
• Using emotional appeals or sensationalism to elicit a desired response from the audience.
• Using logical fallacies or cognitive biases to persuade the audience to accept a conclusion.
• Using fake or unreliable sources to back up a claim or argument.
• Using testimonials or endorsements from celebrities, influencers, experts, or ordinary people to boost credibility or appeal.
• Using repetition or slogans to make a message memorable or catchy.
• Using framing or priming to influence how the audience interprets a message.
• Using censorship or omission to hide or downplay information that contradicts or challenges a message.

These techniques and strategies can be very effective in shaping people’s opinion and behaviour, especially if they are not aware of them or do not question them critically. However, there are ways to spot media manipulation and protect ourselves from its influence. Here are some tips to help you become a more critical thinker and consumer of information:

• Always check the source of the information. Who is behind it? What is their motive? What is their reputation? Are they biased or impartial? Are they credible or trustworthy?
• Always verify the facts and evidence. Are they accurate and complete? Are they relevant and representative? Are they consistent and logical? Are they supported by multiple and reliable sources?
• Always analyse the arguments and claims. Are they clear and coherent? Are they valid and sound? Are they based on facts or opinions? Are they objective or subjective? Are they fair or biased?
• Always evaluate the appeals and techniques. Are they rational or emotional? Are they informative or persuasive? Are they factual or sensational? Are they logical or fallacious? Are they ethical or manipulative?
• Always ask questions and seek alternative perspectives. What is the purpose and context of the message? What is the intended and actual effect of the message? What are the assumptions and implications of the message? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the message? What are the counterarguments and criticisms of the message?

By applying these tips, you can develop your critical thinking skills and media literacy, which will enable you to spot media manipulation and resist its influence. Remember, you have the power to decide what information you consume and how you interpret it. There is lots of amazing information out there, you just have to find it.