CHECK THE SOURCE. CHOOSE YOUR COURSE.
Know who's behind the message. Then make up your own mind.
Every day, someone wants you to believe something or do something.
Different messages. Different motives.
ONE SIMPLE HABIT: CHECK THE SOURCE.
WHY I STARTED THIS?
I have spent years trying to help everyday people read and understand the U.S. Constitution for themselves. One of the things I learned is that freedom depends on people having enough information to make their own decisions.
That becomes harder when someone hides who they are. Foreign influence operations can use fake American identities, hidden funding and deceptive websites. Scammers impersonate banks, government agencies and family members. AI can create convincing voices, pictures and videos. Political messages may hide who created or paid for them.
These are different problems, but they can begin with the same question: Who's really behind this?
Dave
WHY CHECK THE SOURCE?
U.S. government agencies and major technology companies have documented efforts by foreign governments and state-linked actors to influence Americans while disguising who is actually behind the message.
These operations have used fake identities, hidden funding, impersonation, deceptive websites and social-media accounts, and AI-generated content to conceal or misrepresent the true source of information intended to influence Americans.
The problem isn't where a message comes from. The problem is when someone deliberately hides who is really behind it.
The same basic deception appears much closer to home – in phishing, financial scams, fake websites, impersonation, deepfakes and other attempts to influence what we believe, share, click, buy, pay for, or do.
The idea is inspired in part by the enduring simplicity of the World War II public-awareness message "Loose Lips Sink Ships." That short phrase gave people an important protective habit they could remember and use.
Today's challenge is different. I don't want Americans to speak less. I want Americans to verify more.
"Check the Source. Choose Your Course." is designed to bring that same simplicity and memorability to today's information environment – and to reinforce the more detailed anti-fraud, cybersecurity, source-verification, and media-literacy programs already doing valuable work.
WHO'S REALLY BEHIND THIS?
DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHAT TO THINK – INCLUDING ME.
Find out who's speaking. Look at the evidence. Make up your own mind.
CHECK YOUR SIDE, TOO.
It's easy to question information we disagree with.
The harder – and sometimes more important – test is checking information that tells us exactly what we already want to believe.
WHY THIS BELONGS ON A CONSTITUTION WEBSITE
The Constitution protects our freedom to speak, debate, criticize government and make our own political choices.
"Check the Source. Choose Your Course." is not about telling Americans what to believe. It is about helping Americans get better information – and then decide for themselves.
CHECK THE SOURCE. CHOOSE YOUR COURSE.
A public-awareness and civic-literacy initiative from Dave Kluge, author of The People's Guide to the United States Constitution.