Breaking national news events are frequently targeted by partisan opportunists aiming to score quick political points. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, for example, an AI-generated image and an out-of-context photograph misrepresenting the actions of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden spread widely online. These falsehoods can slip by undetected for many viewers since they circulate during a time of information overload and appear to confirm preconceived political biases. Learning to pause and critically examine these claims allows people time to uncover additional context. The image of Trump, for example, was not credited to a photographer (it is AI-generated) and the Biden photograph was taken about a month before the storm.

It’s also important to remember that memes are not news. After encountering a sensational social media post online, take a moment to do some additional research. Did Trump wade through floodwaters? Did Biden ignore the storm to go on vacation? Some quick lateral reading can provide important context.