Double Check!

Social media is great for a number of reasons. One of those is the accessibility and incredibly quick turnaround of breaking news on local, state, national, and international levels by not only journalists and news stations, but also by everyday people. Word spreads faster than wildfire on social media especially now with added tools that allow for retweeting, reblogging, sharing, etc. between social media users on various social media sites. This is super great in keeping people in the loop about current events, until misinformation and falsified facts start spreading. Which brings up the importance of double checking your facts before publishing anything on any site. Credibility is the most important attribute any and all professionals, especially in the media industry, must maintain in order to be as effective and trustworthy as possible in their career. To remain a credible source, always double check that the information you are stating as factual is indeed, factual.

1. Check your sources. Make sure you have credible and trustworthy sources.

2. As a social media user, not necessarily as a journalist, wait and see if other people are talking about whatever event/issue you also want to share. If other people are stating the same facts, then contribute what you know, and start a conversation. Most of the time, it is better to be accurate than to be the first.

3. Look into the evidence. Be able to support your facts with clear evidence and use it to determine what is true.

4. Do your research. Look into background information and make sure you have a solid foundation of which to contribute any new facts.

5. Follow major news outlets and individuals who are proven to be credible. This will allow you to stay current and feed off of any topics they might begin to discuss. As well as, serve as another source to double check your facts.