Already halfway into January and thankfully 2022 is now the wind in our sails as we begin to plan for a brighter year ahead!

With all of the churn and divisiveness encompassing society, the general uncertainty of global affairs and the rather caustic nature of “fake news” or as some communication spinmeisters like to call it, “alternative facts” (much of it generated via the platform of social media), let’s take a minute to reposition ourselves.

It is highly unlikely that the pervasive “fake news” phenomenon will dissipate any time soon. However, there are things we can do to ensure that we don’t surrender ourselves to it. Here are some simple suggestions that might help you avoid getting caught up in that world.

First, develop some healthy skepticism.

Remember that the cornerstone to most “fake news” stories is the “shock factor”. Before you decide to follow the herd use that critical thinking, remove the emotional hook for a moment and ask yourself some key questions. Why this story and why now?  What viewpoint is this story trying to convince me of? Is there some “re-direction” going on here? Am I being led to another website (aka down the garden path) for more of the same?

Secondly, do some of your own fact checking.  Consider if the sources provided in the news feed are reliable and credible. If they site other news sources, are you able to validate the references to other credible news media? What are the other reputable news media reporting? Is this story simply trying to feed your biases or is it growing and broadening your perspectives?

The danger with the world of social engineering is that social media platforms help to affirm your beliefs by feeding you more of the same information which you are already predisposed to.

Imagine that!

Finally, once you have had a chance to scrutinize and look at the story objectively, is this something that you would risk spreading around? Think about your reputation – it’s not always that easy to repair – and so think twice if not three times before you share or repost a story that can cause you more harm than good!

Here’s hoping that we can use the fresh start of 2023 to build in greater accountability and transparency into all that we do!

Have a wonderful year ahead…

OMLI