Our political process is suffering from an abundance of fake “news” stories designed to sway public opinion and votes. Fake news is proliferating and being absorbed without question by people who have failed to learn critical thinking skills. By sticking only to news sources that agree with one’s political beliefs, too many Americana are believing political stories that are false.
Unfortunately, fake news is making its way into the financial arena. The reliable website, the Squared Away Blog recently provided an example of fake news with both political content and consumer ramifications. Check out: Financial Misinformation Shared Online at http://squaredawayblog.bc.edu/squared-away/financial-misinformation-shared-online/#comment-705394. BE SKEPTICAL! Ask yourself if there might be a political or financial gain behind a news story. Don’t take for granted what you read on the internet or what your friends sends you via email. Don’t just blindly pass along Facebook posts. Take a deep breath and tell yourself “Wait a minute! What is the source? How can I verify this information?” One resource is http://www.factcheck.org a resource from the non-partisan Annenberg Public Policy Center. Start the new year with the mantra: I WILL be skeptical and aware that fake news is proliferating. I WILL check out a variety of credible sources.
Source: Financial Planning for Women