In a time in which the country is increasingly divided and the proliferation of fake news continues to widen the chasm of misunderstanding, getting together to talk about how to think more critically about what we come across in the media and how to expose ourselves to diverse perspectives is so necessary. The Table Talk this Monday made me more concerned about the potential consequences of fake news, yet our conversation also made me hopeful that if people recognized the consequences of fake news, they would be motivated to consider the credibility of news and double-check sources before accepting it and giving it power. What added to my concern was the realization that with individuals’ constant access to news outlets and the ease with which it can be shared, the damage of of fake news can be done in just seconds. Often, because fake news is enticingly outlandish, it spreads quickly, and even if its later proved false, the correction of fake news might not reach the expansive audience that the more exciting or concerning, albeit false, story did. Thus, people may never even realize it is false. This inaccurate news story can then shape individuals’ opinions and perspectives, fueling the division that prevents conversation, respect, and understanding between those with different views. The fact that people like to stay within their bubbles, as Magdala pointed out, further decreases the likelihood that individuals find out that fake news is in fact false. One of the major ways that media outlets inexplicitly slant the narratives they construct is in what they choose, and do not choose, to report. A particular news outlet or public figure might pass along a fake piece of news that aligns with their political leanings before it is proven false but neglect to share the the information is inaccurate after it is determined to be incorrect.

However, as I was glad to be reminded, the people have the power to accept and reject, to share and denounce, news. News requires an audience. If people make an effort to expose themselves to different perspectives, think twice about a story that seems unlikely, and subscribe to more credible sources to gain access to new avenues to check the credibility of information, fake news loses its power. Just as easily as people can share a fake news article and thus give credit to it, people can post about how a potential news story has been proved false and include a link to other sources offering a counter claim. I am really grateful that I went to the table talk discussion about fake news because it definitely gave me some new strategies for evaluating the legitimacy of news stories and some new ways of thinking about what it means to be media literate in the era of “fake news.”