How to avoid falling for misinformation and conspiracy theories

We just wrote an article for a local publication on this topic. As elections get closer we are trying to counter some of the mis- and disinformation operations out there. I see plenty of disreputable and extremely biased sources cited on here daily. People don't understand that their social media algorithms aren't built to better inform them. They are just built to keep them scrolling and looking at targeted ads in those feeds. The best way to get yourself back on track with real news is to block all those reposts (even block the people reposting if you must) and source your news from more reputable sources. There are plenty of media bias/truthfulness rating sites out there to use. Eventually, you'll get out of your echo chamber and have a better handle on validating any one-off reposts you still see.