Digital literacy: a guide to checking online claims

A practical framework for search, AI summaries, payment messages and company announcements.

Identify what the message asks you to do

Before clicking a link or approving an action, read the instruction itself. A message promising money can still ask you to authorise a payment. In RBI’s guidance, entering a PIN or OTP is not required to receive money. Our payment explainer links to that official source.

Open the underlying source

A search snippet or AI-generated response compresses information. Open the referenced page and look at its date, author and original claim. A summary may miss an exception or present older information without making its age obvious.

Separate an announcement from a result

A promised feature, a test and a released product are different milestones. Read the wording carefully. The same habit applies to company profiles: a founder, a board member and a current executive describe different roles.

Use a simple checking routine

Ask four questions: who published it, when, what evidence supports it, and what does it actually establish? If the answer is unclear, look for another reliable source before repeating the claim. For sensitive financial or legal decisions, use the relevant official channels.