AI and Fact-Checking the TikTok 'Did You Know'

Viral TikTok 'fun facts' are constantly wrong. Pasting the claim into Perplexity or doing a 30-second lateral search saves you from spreading misinformation.

Some examples

• Open a new tab — search the claim with the word 'debunked.'
• snopes.com still does serious fact-checking on viral claims.
• Reverse image search the screenshot to find the original context.
• If only TikToks repeat the fact, that's a red flag.

Try it!

Open TikTok, find one 'fun fact' video, and verify the claim with a 30-second Perplexity check before liking.

Practice this safely

Try this with a school, hobby, or family example where the stakes are low. Use the AI output as a draft you can question, not as the final answer.

1. 1Ask AI to explain lateral reading in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
2. 2Give it one detail from "AI and Fact-Checking the TikTok 'Did You Know'" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
3. 3Check fact-checking against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.