The single most important 2018 resolution: Stop being a sucker for really "fake news".

Remember the tag line from the original "The X-Files" TV show?

"The truth is out there".

It is, and when it comes to being smart about exposing the truly "fake news" con artists now plying their digital wares around the globe, it's never been more important to keep yourself and your organization from becoming the next sucker born every minute.

Found myself laughing out loud, in a dark fashion, during the morning scroll when I noted a lot of people seriously commenting on a story from a website called "The Truth Examiner" detailing how "most" Donald Trump supporters believe "blacks and other minorities have too many rights".

These were people agreeing with the headline and treating it as if it was real.

It's not.

It's concocted and truly intelligence-insulting "fake news" produced to get you to click on it and make the owners money. It has nothing to do with fair reporting, balanced news, or context.

"The Truth Examiner" has long been exposed as a Far Left hyperbolic website featuring the usual cache of lies, half truths, misstatements, rumors, racial and sexual hate and what amounts to little more than plain stupidity.

In other words, same thing we see on more than a few websites and platforms on both the Left and the Right.

Let's be fair. The bombardment of such claptrap is neither new nor endemic to any one political persuasion.

The people I work with as clients in forging and maintaining a media strategy would never fall for such nonsense. It's called education and knowledge, people. The initial training and then consistent follow-up with individuals and entire organizations makes everyone a Hell of a lot smarter when it comes to avoiding these frauds.

So let me help.

Here are a few websites that I have researched and trust for their information, providing lists of what I refer to as "clickbait con jobs". Every single one of the sites listed on these various sites should never, and I repeat, NEVER, be used as a source of news and information of any kind at any time.

Questions? Drop me a line and we'll talk about bringing this level of smarts to you and your group. I would be thrilled to speak in person or via Skype to your group about this issue.

The truth is out there. So are the facts.

#reallyfakenews #conjobmedia #mediastrategy101

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fake_news_websites

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/dont-get-fooled-by-these-fake-news-sites/7/

https://www.poynter.org/news/satirical-fake-news-site-apologized-making-story-too-real

https://www.factcheck.org/2017/07/websites-post-fake-satirical-stories/