Social media has made it easier to get information and exchange it. However sometimes in the bevy of posts and news the truth is lost and lies go viral.
Things you can do to help you on social media are
Dig deeper and verify sources.
There are loads and loads of sources of news out there and not all of them are the real thing. Some are actually imitations of real life newspapers that print fictional stories to fool or entertain. And some are outright fake with content that is all made-up stuff. As the posts are manipulated to look credible and thanks to social media some of these posts spread really fast. And usually people assume that the higher something ranks in search results, the more factual or trustworthy the information is.
This is not necessarily correct and you should challenge the information you get and before sharing a piece of content, check it out on other verified sites because sharing fake stuff can be a black mark on you. You do not want to be the one referred to as the one that shares false content, rumors, or half-truths.
Beware of viral pieces
Viral news is powerful and can impact our opinions about important issues. It can impact our health, malign businesses and destroy friendships. Some viral news items may not be entirely false, just intentionally shared out of context and cloaked in juicy headlines.
These headlines could lead to a false news story packed with even more fake links that take you to a product page or, worse, download malware onto your computer, putting your data and privacy at risk.
Think before you share
A sentence, especially a short juicy sentence is always a tap away from being shared. But it could be untrue, a joke at someone else’s expense or something that another person is hoping will get them more followers. Some posts are often pulled from headlines or stories from the past and are presented as current.
Before you share, take a closer look. And think “Am I overly emotional and a little too eager to share this?”
Block or Report Sites
People will not be notified when you block them so if you keep getting offensive, fake news and spam feel free to report or block the person or site. If the source is a person you can visit the person’s profile and select Block on the drop down menu on their cover photo.
The increase in fake news online has impacted us all. However, we can fight back and begin to restore trust by reporting abusive content and impersonations, by warning other users and by taking personal responsibility in identifying the fake and not passing it on!
