In a world where fame can happen overnight (due to an astonishing discovery, or a viral video for example), it is important to ground oneself in knowledge and the pursuit of knowledge. Also, we live in a world where false statements can just as easily become viral as true ones and where untrue beliefs can seem to go unchecked, it’s easy to become discouraged about the truth and the pursuit of it. In order to achieve the best possible world, it is necessary to push towards the truth.
More pointedly, think about your experiences with Facebook. Every time we login to our accounts, we’re often bombarded with information, making it difficult to sort through content and find facts. As more and more false information lands in front of us, it is becoming more difficult to identify something as inaccurate, especially if it has been shared tens of thousands of times.
What can be even more challenging is finding the original source of the fake news or meme once it goes viral. If a source cannot be found, it is next to impossible to hold someone responsible for misinforming people. Those people whose photos are stolen for the purpose of disseminating fake news have no way to take control of their intellectual property and stop the viral image from being shared.
