For more and more Americans, traditional news isn’t cutting it. There is no shortage of reasons why. From the private equity gutting of newsrooms and lack of real coverage beats to the naked political bias of mainstream outlets, news quality has dropped and public trust issues abound. One leading factor contributing to the slow death of news as we knew it is the delay in getting accurate information out quickly during breaking news events – a delay that is the consequence of upholding journalistic standards.

Traditional news wasn’t built to compete at the speed of social media. News organizations have fact-checking standards that are a result of historic screw ups, including calling the 2000 election early and falsely implicating innocent individuals in criminal investigations. The impact of the cautious nature of corporate-controlled traditional news is that stories get reported later than those on the bleeding edge of social media, where content creators have less at stake.

That caution is on full display in the below image, which features screenshots of the initial reports of the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. Every one of them refers to loud noises, but not gunshots – a stark example of the disconnect between what people were seeing and what was being reported. Right-wing influencers then pointed to the headlines as proof that the media has it in for Trump.

The caution born of lessons learned in blowing stories too early is now backfiring on media outlets, as the public often interprets it as bias rather than careful reporting. In reality, sometimes the caution is driven by standards, policy and care and other times there is bias creeping into decisions made in newsrooms and by executives.

The disappearing trust in traditional news is driving people to get their news from social media, which is even more filled with disinformation than biased news outlets. The gulf between what people are accepting as fact on social media and what they see reported in the news furthers their distrust of conventional media outlets.

The trend of Americans turning away from “dependable” outlets will persist and media literacy will continue to erode. So, how can you follow breaking news while avoiding disinformation?

Following breaking news is part of my job description as a communications professional serving clients that are in the news or seeking to insert themselves into relevant news cycles. That means I follow the news closely in real time, and I can’t afford to misread a news cycle based on disinformation. Here is my approach. 

1. Be honest with yourself

The first step in avoiding disinformation while following breaking news coverage is to prioritize getting accurate and timely information. This may seem basic, but in today’s polarized media consumption environment, the reality is that many people find it more appealing to jump down conspiracy rabbit holes or listen to the sounds of their echo chamber rather than getting the facts right. Being honest with yourself about what your goals are in following news is an important first step. 

2. Get smart on what to look out for 

While every breaking news event is different because of the people, location, political climate and a host of other factors, there are ways to read and share news more responsibly. For example, On The Media from NPR issued their first Breaking News Consumer’s Handbook in 2013. To this day, it remains an indispensable resource for seeing through the noise when looking at breaking news information. Since their first list, they have issued 30 specialized editions, and put them all in one place for easy reference. Topics include mass shootings, Israel and Gaza, vaccines, and evaluating claims of celebrity experts. 

3. Know a media outlet’s bias

Bias-free media is a myth. For years, network anchors and correspondents insisted that they could bring the news without any personal opinion bleeding into their work. That myth has been shattered. So if everyone has bias, how do you know what their bias is? Ad Fontes Media keeps a chart of media organizations that is regularly updated. The project charts the political leanings and the news value and reliability of information that a given media outlet shares. Knowing where an outlet stands on the chart can help you figure out how to evaluate what they are writing.

4. Use X smartly

Opening X and looking at the For You tab is like opening a fire hydrant of sewage in front of your face. Twitter Lists is an underutilized resource for curating what you see on this social media platform. It allows you to follow a set list of people associated with your interests. I manage US Political News and Israel News lists and follow several others based on themes and topics that are important to me. By using a curated list, you control who is able to place information – and misinformation – in your feed. Some inaccurate reporting still sneaks through, but that is going to happen during breaking news. 

The lists that I curate, for example, are filled with working journalists. Often, the journalists assigned to a story aren’t tweeting in real time because they are busy covering the story, but often, journalists who have covered similar news events can provide important insight as news happens. 

5. Pick a trusted source and follow 

Don’t try to do this on your own. If following the news isn’t part of your job or something that gives you enjoyment, then there really is no need to wade through all of the confusion of breaking news. However, while picking a trusted source and sticking with them seems easy enough, who can you really trust? News veteran Moshe Oinounou is as good a source as any to get close to real time breaking news. His Instagram page, Mo News, functions as a small independent newsroom which sources news primarily from other outlets, but is careful to provide balance and context. For most people, Mo News is probably enough.

As the pace of news continues to speed up and traditional media doesn’t adapt we will continue to see the trends identified here become more extreme. The lack of trust will be confirmed rightly or wrongly and, ironically, people will depend more and more on less trustworthy sources.