The story of Misinformation

We all have the potential to be affected by misinformation because there are people with an agenda out there that have vested interests who want you to believe everything you read. I cannot recall how many times I have said this but I cannot emphasize how important it is to research the answers to get to the truth.

Do not just believe everything you read. There are always clues you can look for and sometimes, this can make a huge difference in what you actually believe and what you do as a consequence. Also, it is very important not to share something you do not know for sure is totally true. That is what these nefarious characters want you to do since the more that believe what they say, the more converts they gain.

Every story you read on a reputable site will have all the facts, both sides of arguments so it is fairly represented. Those that are not legitimate are trying to get you upset and drive you to feel anger. They work on your emotions and set a call to action even though they are just spouting information with no facts to back it up.

If there is mention of a scientist or doctor or some other expert who is making claims, their name should be indicated and where this information came about like at a media event. Those sites pretending to be news sites that are actually there for entertainment are not reliable and have another purpose.

Also, just because you see it on social media does not mean it is reliable. You cannot claim you are getting false accounts if you are not willing to make just a little bit of effort to check reliable sites for the facts. Try sites like The Associated Press, The BBC and Reuters. Never trust CNN or Fox News.

While you may find a certain level of bias in some news stories, there should be another side represented so that you can make the decision about what you think. Do not let someone else try to manipulate you.