An example of why you shouldn't trust everything you read on social media

I had several friends on Facebook post this the other day, following the shooting in Florida. It went something like "There have been 18 school shootings in the past 30 years in (don't remember what country they referenced), but there have been 18 in the USA this year alone."

Obviously my friends weren't the only ones to share this "stat". Only problem is, apparently it's completely wrong.

No, there haven’t been 18 school shootings in 2

I think the number is somewhere between 5 and 8.

Which is between 5 and 8 too many, IMHO.

I think the number is somewhere between 5 and 8.

 

Which is between 5 and 8 too many, IMHO.

I don't think it's even that high.

Facebook news is the worst news.

I believe zero of what I read on social media. I verify information before passing it on even in a casual conversation. Even if I come across some online verification, I investigate the site where I am getting that confirmation from to figure out who they are before I will consider passing it on. The more surprising any piece of information you see on social media, the more likely it isn't true.

As a rule of thumb I find that almost anytime someone tells me about some interesting "fact" or "alleged truth" it is almost always inaccurate.

Or put another way, people hear stuff and start repeating it as if it was true with no verification or authentication and I agree with everyone here that Facebook is a cesspool for misinformation.

Social media is bad? Does anyone watch the news. Flip back and forth between CNN and Fox and you would think you are in 2 different worlds. They tell you what you want to hear.

Facebook news is the worst news.

A bunch of uneducated (on the subject matter) fools copying and pasting bad info.

As a rule of thumb I find that almost anytime someone tells me about some interesting "fact" or "alleged truth" it is almost always inaccurate.

 

Or put another way, people hear stuff and start repeating it as if it was true with no verification or authentication and I agree with everyone here that Facebook is a cesspool for misinformation.

Not just Facebook, although it may be the worst. The internet as a whole is more misinformation than not.

Not just Facebook, although it may be the worst. The internet as a whole is more misinformation than not.

No disagreement here UKMF.

Social media is bad? Does anyone watch the news. Flip back and forth between CNN and Fox and you would think you are in 2 different worlds. They tell you what you want to hear.

And the truth is somewhere in the middle.

:laugh:

And the truth is somewhere in the middle.

I think the middle went extinct on us.

I think the middle went extinct on us.

I agree.

http://bluegrasspreps.com/kentucky-national-politics/what-does-the-349105.html