Screenshots Are Not Sources

Where Something Comes From Matters More Than How Real It Looks

By now, we’ve all seen it.

A screenshot of a headline. A cropped paragraph from an article. A post that starts with, “I saw this online…”

And it looks real.

But here’s the thing: Screenshots are not sources.

When information is shared without context, with no link, no author, no date - it becomes almost impossible to verify. Screenshots remove the very details we need to check whether something is accurate, outdated, or taken out of context.

Before trusting or sharing something, ask: 

• Who originally posted this?
• Is there a real author or organization?
• Can I find the full article or original post?

If you can’t trace it back, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s fake, but it does mean it’s unverified. And unverified information deserves a pause, not a repost.

In a world full of polished images and confident claims, where something comes from matters more than how convincing it looks.

👉 Next up: why confident writing isn’t the same thing as correct information.