We live in a time where information is EVERYTHING. We consume so much information daily, as soon as we open a social media app on our phone we still digest information (not only to mention the amount of information we are giving away about ourselves, but that is a conversation for another day). It has become the ‘norm’ to get your daily news and updates through your social feeds, however, misinformation can easily run rampant on these platforms. 

A lot is going on in the world at the moment, and we are seeing information about events left, right and centre across almost all social media platforms. Before you engage with any of this information, it is good to think about the following points. 

1. SOURCE SOURCE SOURCE

• What is the source of this information? Is it a reputable journalist? Are they knowledgeable in the topic that they are talking about? How has the information been acquired?

   2. REFERENCE CHECK 

• Has the information been confirmed or is it just speculation? Check to see who the information has been collected from.

   3. TAKE EVERYTHING WITH A GRAIN OF SALT 

• Keep in mind that as information is passed around the story can easily change and have new details added or removed. Any piece of information that you see on social media should be taken with slight caution. As people, who are misinformed slowly share and spread ‘information’ more and more opinions and changes can occur to the real story and the real facts. 

I promise I’m not trying to scare you away from information and educate yourselves on important issues and events that you may see on your social feeds, HOWEVER, I do want to encourage you to take a moment to question the accuracy of the information. By taking that moment and asking those questions you are helping to stop the spread of misinformation.