There were always sensational headlines with photoshopped images.
Who could forget the giant head of Satan in a mushroom cloud with a prediction about the end of the world?
Or the world's largest baby.
As we stood in line waiting for our turn to check out, we would laugh about the ridiculous claims that were touted in 72 point headlines. It was entertainment. So outrageous, no one with a smidge of a sense would think the stories were true.
Fast forward to the present. Just in the last week, I have gotten inundated with unsolicited ads that have titles like, "The cancer prevention food that pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know about."
Today, I got a post with "The 15 fast foods you don't want to eat." I decided to bite. Reading through the stories, there was one recurring theme. Not one of them quoted a trusted expert, or even a spokesperson from the establishment in question. Invariably, they all started out with something like, "According to a former employee..." Now, you've got to ask yourself who these former employees are and why they left/were fired. Or if they even existed.
In addition, the article makes sweeping statements. Like, it's difficult to clean out soft drink machines, so there could be e-coli in the pop you get from a fast food restaurant. Also included are comments about how food is microwaved (big surprise) or it arrives at the restaurant frozen (so shocking).
The trouble, of course, is that some of the claims sound like they could be legitimate. But no one has made an effort to verify them. So, you are left feeling vaguely queasy about ever eating out again.
I'll bet that a lot of folks walk away believing every word of it.
This is the danger of internet "news." And why reputable journalists keep harping on the importance of sticking with a news source you can trust, and investigating vague claims by questionable sources.
I think Abe Lincoln said it best: "Don't believe everything you read on the internet."
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