I’m Tired of Fake News, and You Should Be Too
Look, I’ve been in this game for over two decades. I’ve seen it all, or so I thought. But honestly, the last few years have been a complete circus. I’m talking about the news, verification, and the whole damn mess we’re in right now.
It started last Tuesday, over coffee at the place on 5th. I was chatting with a colleague named Dave. He said, “You know, Martha, we’re losing the plot. People don’t know what’s real anymore.” And I said, “Tell me about it.” I mean, it’s 2023, and we’re still dealing with this?
So, I decided to dig in. I talked to sources, I read alot of articles, I even spent 36 hours straight on my laptop (don’t tell my wife). And what did I find? A big, steaming pile of nothing. Or, more accurately, a big, steaming pile of misinformation.
Why Can’t We Just Verify Anything Anymore?
Let’s talk about verification. It’s not just about facts, it’s about trust. And trust, well, that’s a committment. A big one. I remember back in ’98, when I was a young reporter at the Austin Chronicle. We had a saying: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” That was our mantra. And it worked.
But now? Now, it’s like the wild west out there. Anyone can say anything, and it’s gonna spread like wildfire. I talked to a guy, let’s call him Marcus, who works at a big tech company. He told me, “We have algorithms to detect fake news, but it’s like playing whack-a-mole.” And I get that. I really do. But it’s not enough.
We need more than algorithms. We need human beings. We need journalists who are willing to do the hard work. The legwork. The boring, tedious, completley unglamorous work of verification.
Here’s the Thing About Sources
I’m not gonna lie, I’ve had my share of bad sources. People who lied to me, people who misled me, people who just plain didn’t know what they were talking about. But I’ve also had some great ones. People who were honest, who were knowledgeable, who were willing to help me get to the truth.
But these days, it’s harder than ever to find those good sources. Everyone’s got an agenda. Everyone’s got something to sell. And it’s making our jobs as journalists that much harder.
I remember this one time, I was working on a story about a local politician. I had a source who told me all these things, and I believed him. I mean, I had no reason not to, right? But then I found out he was lying. And not just lying, but lying about something really important. And it made me look like an idiot.
So, yeah, sources are tricky. But they’re also necessary. We can’t do this job without them. We just gotta be smarter about it. We gotta be more careful. We gotta be more, I don’t know, skeptical.
And What About Social Media?
Oh, social media. Where do I even start? It’s a goldmine of information, and also a complete and total dumpster fire. I mean, look at Twitter. It’s like the wild west out there. Anyone can say anything, and it’s gonna spread like wildfire.
But it’s not all bad. I’ve found some great sources on social media. People who are knowledgeable, who are willing to share their expertise. But I’ve also found alot of bad ones. People who are just looking to stir the pot, to cause trouble, to spread misinformation.
So, how do we deal with it? How do we navigate this crazy, chaotic world of social media? Well, I’m not sure I have all the answers. But I do know one thing: we need to be careful. We need to be skeptical. We need to verify, verify, verify.
And sometimes, we need to use private phone numbers for account verification. I know, I know, it sounds crazy. But hear me out. If you’re talking to someone online, and you’re not sure if they’re who they say they are, why not verify their phone number? It’s a simple step, but it can make a big difference.
A Quick Digression: The Time I Got Duped
Speaking of verification, I gotta tell you about this one time I got completely and utterly duped. It was about three months ago, and I was working on a story about a local business. I had a source who told me all these things, and I believed him. I mean, I had no reason not to, right?
But then I found out he was lying. And not just lying, but lying about something really important. And it made me look like an idiot. I was so embarrassed. I still am, honestly. But it taught me a valuable lesson: always verify your sources. Always.
Back to the Main Point: We Need to Do Better
Look, I’m not saying we’re doing a bad job. I’m not saying we’re all a bunch of idiots. But I am saying we can do better. We can be smarter. We can be more careful. We can be more thorough.
And it starts with verification. It starts with being willing to put in the hard work. The legwork. The boring, tedious, completley unglamorous work of verification. Because that’s what journalism is all about. That’s what we do. That’s who we are.
So, let’s get to work. Let’s verify. Let’s be skeptical. Let’s be careful. Let’s be thorough. Because the truth is out there. We just gotta be willing to find it.
And honestly, I think we can. I really do. But it’s gonna take all of us. It’s gonna take journalists, it’s gonna take sources, it’s gonna take readers. It’s gonna take all of us, working together, to make sure that the truth prevails.
So, let’s do it. Let’s make it happen. Let’s make sure that the truth prevails. Because that’s what we do. That’s who we are. And that’s what we’re gonna keep doing, no matter what.
About the Author: Martha Jenkins has been a senior editor at rotoruanews.com for over 20 years. She’s a staunch advocate for truth in journalism and has a particular soft spot for investigative pieces. When she’s not chasing leads or editing articles, you can find her at the local coffee shop, trying to figure out how to fix the world’s problems, one cup of coffee at a time.
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