Did digital communications impact the 2016 Presidential election?  Um, yes, most definitely.   So much so that suddenly people are worried about the spread of fake news.

I have worked in media for over 12 years now.  So I like to think I am pretty media literate.  That means I am aware of what news sites are real, which ones are slanted, which ones don’t care about expressing their opinions etc.  I also do my homework before I click and share.   I don’t have special super powers.  I am just well versed in whats going on in the world and don’t take everything at face value.

Fake News                                                                                                                                                           Simply put, it’s news that is made up.  It’s not real.  How does Fake News spread like wildfire?  Many people read a story that is in line with their way of thinking and clicks on share.   There is no concern about the accuracy of the story.    When many people are cruising Facebook (or other social media sites), they read a headline (not even the whole story), click and share.  That’s not being a responsible news consumer.  If you are participating in social media, then as someone who can push content into the world, you have to take on the responsibility of not putting lies out there.

The Blame Game                                                                                                                                               So who is to blame?  Some of my “older” friends blame social media itself.  But here is the thing I can’t get over.  We are social media.  We are the ones clicking and posting and sharing.  We are the ones looking for the quick answer that agrees with our line of thinking.  We need to take some of the blame for this problem.

Moving Forward                                                                                                                                         The election is over and lots of false information flew around on the internet.  That information more than likely had an impact on how people voted.   We can’t change the outcome, contrary to the theories flying around that Bernie Sanders can still win because of a loophole (Yes I read the article and if you have too you understand my point in all of this).   So do your homework.  If something is a little hard to believe, look it up (people still do that, right?).  Don’t look for something that fits the truth you want it to be.  Find the truth.  It’s OK if you learn something new and change your opinion.