Be your own fact-checker

According to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, 23% of people admit to having shared a fake news story on Facebook, be it on purpose or unknowingly.

When in doubt, cross-check storylines yourself to find a fuller picture of what is fact or opinion.

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What is Media Manipulation?--A Definition and Explanation

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forbes.com

What is Media Manipulation? If you don't know, you should. Because media manipulation currently shapes everything you read, hear and watch online. Everything. In the old days, we only had a few threats to fear when it came to media manipulation: the government propagandist and the hustling publicist.

Key Ideas

"Getting it right is expensive, getting it first is cheap."

- Michael Arrington, founder of TechCrunch, on news.

Media Manipulation

It’s when media uses its reach and persuasion power to make people do or think things they otherwise would not. This often comes in the form of exaggeration, distortion, fabrication and simplification.

Roots Of Media Manipulation

Media manipulation exploits the difference between perception and reality using the still remaining trust for truthful content it once had. But the current fast and hyper-competitive nature of the media business driven by clicks and often guided by untrained bloggers or malicious sources contributes to the spread of misinformation even among the mainstream media.

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Dark chocolate is now a health food. Here's how that happened.

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vox.com

A year after James Cadbury, the 30-something great-great-great-grandson of the British chocolatier John Cadbury, launched his luxury cocoa startup in 2016, he introduced an avocado chocolate bar. Cadbury Jr.'s newest confection loaded just about every buzzy health trend into a fresh green-and-white package: vegan, ethically sourced, organic dark chocolate and creamy, superfood avocado.

Key Ideas

"Healthy: Dark Chocolate

Mars Inc. - the company that has brought us M&M's or Snickers - sponsored 140 peer-reviewed scientific papers starting from the 80s. Mars controlled the research agenda and only funded the positive research, to push chocolate bars as nutritious.

Not really good for your health

The biggest health claim is that cocoa lowers blood pressure, but no study has proven that it reduces the risk of heart disease or attacks. And considering the added sugars it probably does more harm than good.