Don’t be a hoax host - verify before you post!

by Lily Bradic

When a post goes viral, many people make the mistake of assuming the story is true — because, seriously, who would make up a flavor-changing fruit called a moon melon? And, if the post is so popular, someone must have verified it, right?

Wrong. In fact, it’s probably been debunked already — but the story of an awesome blue watermelon straight out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is much more interesting than the truth: a Photoshop job. And things go viral because they’re interesting, not because they’re true.

Next time you see a fascinating, crazy story (like the giant squid with radioactive gigantism), this is what you need to do:

1. Check the website. Before expressing your disgust at the article, make sure it’s not from The Onion. Far too many people have made idiots of themselves with misinformed political rants. The Onion is satire.
2. Visit Snopes. Search for the story, using keywords like “giant squid” or “moon melon”. If it turns out to be true, go ahead and share it. If it’s a hoax, feel free to point it out — you’ll save someone else from embarrassment (and will have earned the right to feel very smug).

You always want to verify before sharing a story. Even if you’re only using your personal account, it’s still a good habit to get into.

Perpetuating false information is bad for business, and makes you look gullible — or stupid. And that definitely isn’t the impression you want to give your customers. They want to know they can trust you. Sharing fake stories makes you look careless at best.

Everybody makes mistakes, and hoaxes nowadays can be very convincing. You’d be forgiven for believing most of them — but never share if you’re not sure!