Stop Fake Stories from Spreading

Has your Facebook feed been flooded with fake stories recently? 

Most of these stories seem so obviously fake, but I will admit I have fallen for some of them. 

For example, I recently read an Underground Health about how a Keurig coffee maker users are at risk because the machines are prone to mold, algae and bacteria growth. I even discussed the article with my family over Thanksgiving. I then just found out the article is not completely accurate. While a Keurig can get dirty, it is false they can never be cleaned. Also, the article said the bacteria can only happen in a Keurig, which is also false, it can happen in any similar coffee maker product.

According, to the Chicago Tribune fake stories and offers have been spreading like wildfires because social media users believe them to be true and retweet, like or share the stories. People might believe the stories to be true because their  friend shared it, so why should they doubt their friend?

There’s a few ways to get around figuring out if the story is real or not according to the Chicago Tribune:

1. Check for grammatical errors – it sounds obvious, but most credible stories probably will not have too many errors
2. Check Snopes.com – this website checks out what’s real and not real on social media
3. Google It – I cannot tell you how many times someone has shared a story or told me about a story and it seemed unreal to me, so I Googled it and in a matter of seconds the story was proven to be wrong. 

Let’s all try to stop these dumb fake stories from spreading and stop posting, liking or retweeting them.