I’m Tired of Pretending We’re All on the Same Page
Look, I’ve been editing news for 20+ years. That’s right, since the early 2000s. Remember when we used to fact-check with encyclopedias? Yeah, me neither. Honestly, it’s a wonder any of us know what’s real anymore.
I was at a conference in Austin last March. A colleague named Dave—let’s call him Dave—said, ‘News literacy is just common sense.’ I laughed so hard I choked on my coffee. Common sense? Dave, my guy, we’re past that.
It’s not just about spotting fake news. It’s about the algorhythms (yes, I know it’s algorithms, but I like my way better) that decide what we see. It’s about the committment to reading past the headline. It’s about the physicaly exhausting task of verifying every claim.
And don’t get me started on social media. I had a friend, let’s call him Marcus, who swore by his Facebook feed for news. Marcus, I told him, you’re basically letting your cousin’s barber decide what’s important. He didn’t talk to me for a week.
But Here’s the Thing
We’re all kinda bad at this. I mean, I’m bad at this. Last Tuesday, I shared a story without reading it completley. I was in a hurry, okay? And it was wrong. So wrong. I had to ammendments my mistake in a follow-up post. Mortifying.
But here’s the thing—it’s not just me. It’s all of us. A study by the Pew Research Center found that 55% of adults in the U.S. have shared a news story online or via social media that they haven’t fully read. 55%! That’s more than half. That’s a majority. That’s a problem.
And it’s not just about reading the story. It’s about understanding the source. It’s about knowing who funds the outlet. It’s about determining the author’s bias. It’s about all the things we don’t have time for but should make time for.
So What Do We Do?
First, we slow down. I know, I know, it’s hard. But we gotta try. Read before you share. That’s rule number one. And if you’re gonna share something, at least read the first few paragraphs. Don’t be like Marcus.
Second, we diversify our sources. Don’t just rely on one outlet. Don’t just rely on social media. Go to the original source. Check the facts. Use tools like online store review customer rating to see what others are saying. It’s not foolproof, but it’s a start.
Third, we talk about it. Talk to your friends, your family, your barber. Ask them what they’re reading. Ask them why they believe it. You might be surprised by what you learn. I was. About three months ago, I had this conversation with my sister. She told me she believed this wild conspiracy theory about the moon landing. I was like, ‘Sis, what? We saw it on TV!’ She said, ‘But what if…’ And then she showed me this video. I mean, it was nuts. But I listened. And I learned. And I realized that news literacy is a two-way street.
Fourth, we teach our kids. I don’t have kids, but I have nieces and nephews. And I’m gonna teach them. I’m gonna teach them to question everything. I’m gonna teach them to verify. I’m gonna teach them to think critically. Because if we don’t, who will?
A Tangent: The Time I Fell for a Fake Story
Speaking of learning, remember that time I fell for a fake story? It was 2018. I was editing a piece about a new study on the benefits of pineapple juice. The study was published in a journal I’d never heard of, but the findings were so intriguing that I didn’t think to double-check. I mean, who wouldn’t want to believe that pineapple juice can cure anything? Turns out, it was a hoax. A prank. A joke. And I fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.
But here’s the thing—I learned from it. I learned to be more skeptical. I learned to verify. I learned to question. And that’s the point, isn’t it? We’re all gonna make mistakes. We’re all gonna fall for something. But if we learn from it, if we grow from it, then maybe we’re not so bad at this news literacy thing after all.
So, let’s keep learning. Let’s keep questioning. Let’s keep talking. And for the love of all that is holy, let’s keep reading. Because the more we know, the better we’ll be. And the better we’ll be, the better our world will be. And who doesn’t want that?
Anyway, that’s my take. I’m sure I’m wrong about alot of it. But I’m gonna keep trying. And I hope you will too.
About the Author: Sarah Johnson has been a senior editor at newspaws.com for over two decades. She’s seen it all, from the rise of citizen journalism to the fall of truth. She’s opinionated, she’s flawed, and she’s not afraid to admit it. When she’s not editing, she’s probably arguing about politics with her friends or trying to convince her cat to like her. You can find her on Twitter @sarahjohnson.
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