Remember to fact-check

Local columnist

A couple of weeks ago my social media circle celebrated National Daughter’s Day in a grand way.

The streaming news feed was full of one gorgeous photo after another — mothers sharing their admiration for their wonderful girls.

I had never heard of this day, and searched the Internet to find the origin.

Please don’t get me wrong. I loved seeing all the photos. But the best I could come up with was Sept. 25, 2011, was a national day for celebrating daughters in India.

The phenomenon is just like the birthday photo from February in 2012 that someone sees as they’re looking back through a friend’s online photo album. They click “like” and the avalanche begins.

Another chimes in with a birthday greeting, and before you know it seven more people are offering best wishes on a non-event.

Every bit of it is delightful and entertaining. Until it comes to serious matters that need fact checking.

With our presidential election process already in full swing, I encourage us all to do our due diligence. Check accuracy before believing half truths. Search for dates and context.

Always remember Abraham Lincoln’s famous quote: “You can’t believe everything you read on the Internet.”

Sandy Fields keeps an online journal at her website http://www.field-days.com

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