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How to find reliable online resources

est. 45 mins

 💡 After this training: 

  • The learner is able to assess the reliability of digital content. 

  • The learner is able to identify how copyrights are related to information and information sharing.

👀 How to coordinate this training:




1. Demonstrate and explain

Use the tips below for demonstrating and explaining how to search for an image online that is reliable and copyright-free.

2. Discussion

Discuss in a group or write your answers on paper, in an email message or a Word file. Save the file to your computer or to a cloud service (e.g. Google Drive and OneDrive).

  1. Why can't you always trust the information you find on the internet?

  2. What kind of information do you check before clicking after searching on a browser?

  3. How can you make sure a video you found online is reliable?

  4. Why can't you copy an image from the internet to your own post/ social media?



Materials needed:

Pen & Paper or Word Processing Software 🖌️

Computer 💻


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✨ Digital skills training about copyright and reliability



Materials and resources in English🇬🇧
Materials and resources in Finnish 🇫🇮



Explanation tips 🧾

  1. Not everything online is true and reliable

    Anyone can publish anything on the internet. There are both facts and opinions, and sometimes, false or misleading content.


  2. How to check if information is trustworthy

    What makes a source reliable:

    • Is it a well-known organization or news site?

    • Is there an author? Date?

    • Is it written clearly and professionally?


  3. What to look for before clicking on search results

    • Title: Is it related to your question?

    • Website: Does the link come from a site you know or trust?

    • Description: Does it explain what you expect to find?


  4. How to verify a video is reliable

    • Check: Who posted it? What channel?

    • Look: Does it have lots of strange comments or unclear facts?

    • Ask: Can you find the same information on another trusted site?


  5. Why you can’t copy any image from the internet

    • Most images are copyrighted, which means someone owns them.

    • Even if it’s online, using it without permission (especially in public posts) can break rules.


Step-by-step demonstration: How to look for reliable resources ✅

Step 1: Ask a Simple Research Question

  • Example: “What's the weather forecast?” or “How can I apply for a passport?”

  • Encourage learners to think of real-life questions they may want to look up.


Step 2: Open a Search Engine (e.g. Google or Bing)

  • Show how to:

    • Use a clear, short phrase in the search bar.

    • Avoid typing long questions like “I need help getting a passport.”


Step 3: Scan the Search Results Carefully

Teach learners to check three parts of each result:

  1. Title – Does it match what you’re looking for?

  2. Web address (URL) – Is it a trusted domain (e.g., .gov, .edu, country's shorten code like .fi, ee, dk, or major organizations)?

  3. Snippet/Preview – Does it explain what the page is about in a clear way?


Tip: Skip links with titles like “You won’t believe this!” or unfamiliar names.


Step 4: Click on a Reliable-Looking Link

  • Choose a site to explore.

  • Show the learners how to:

    • Identify who made the website.

    • Look for an “About us” or “Contact” page.

    • Check the date of the article or post.


Step 5: Compare with a Second Website

  • Open another site with the same information.

  • Possible questions to ask:

    • Are the answers similar?

    • Which site seems more professional or official?

    • Is there anything suspicious (ads, popups, strange language)?


Step 6: Explain Red Flags for Unreliable Content

  • Poor design or spelling errors

  • No author or contact info

  • Extreme claims

  • Lots of ads or pop-ups

  • Comments disabled or very angry comments



Step-by-step demonstration: Finding copyright-free images 📷

Step 1: Explain Why Copyright Matters

  • Start with a short explanation:

    “Most images on the internet are owned by someone. If you copy them without permission, it can cause problems—even legal issues. But there are some images that are free to use, and we’ll learn how to find them.”


Optional tip: Show an example of a copyrighted image vs. a copyright-free one.


Step 2: Open Google Images

Step 3: Use Tools to Filter Usage Rights

  1. After the results appear, click on the “Tools” button below the search bar.

  2. A new menu will appear below—click on “Usage rights”.

  3. Select “Creative Commons licenses” (or “Labeled for reuse”, depending on language settings).


 These images are safer to use in presentations or projects.


Step 4: Click on an Image and Check the Source

  • Click one image to open it.

  • Then click “Visit” or “Go to page” to open the website where the image is hosted.

  • Check if the website confirms that the image is free to use (some may still require credit to the author).


Tip: If it’s not clear, do not use the image.


Step 5: Show Trusted Free Image Websites (Optional)

Introduce learners to safe sources with fully copyright-free images:


These sites are especially useful because:

  • All images are free to use

  • No need to check licenses for each one

  • Easy to search in many languages


Open Badge: Searching and evaluating information

Discover how to use this training material together with other themes to help learners earn the Open Badge.

Badges allow learners to demonstrate the skills they have gained and showcase their achievements. Learn more by clicking the button below.



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