A couple of things

First, we need to take ownership of our minds and educate and inform ourselves responsibly, now more than ever. Here are some good tips/resources I could find on how to spot and combat fake news - shared in order of pithiness (from most to least), for individuals whose attention span may not stack up to that of a goldfish:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/detect-fake-news-like-a-pro?utm_term=.dnvr6P0oG#.hiG0qdbEr

 (I know it's Buzzfeed. I know it's not a "news" agency. I know it's never going to earn a 100% on our trustworthiness scale. I also know we all use it, frequently, and I'm a firm believer in meeting people where they stand. So just go with it.)

http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/21/6-quick-ways-spot-fake-news/


http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/12/05/503581220/fake-or-real-how-to-self-check-the-news-and-get-the-facts

And lastly, a handy little checklist if you're not sure (I know it's Buzzfeed again. I know it's not 100% reliable/legit, but it IS a litmus test of sorts, if you're still not sure where to start.) -

https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/fake-news-checkllist?utm_term=.glwke8bMP#.pa1N8AOKb

 Second, this image has been making the rounds in my Twitter and Facebook newsfeeds, and I cannot verify the author/source, but I think it contains important insights nonetheless:

(Originator, from what I can tell, is https://twitter.com/rascouet/status/823035518313267202 .)


Oh, and one more helpful (if imperfectly executed) tool:

https://www.mywot.com/

It’s called Web of Trust. If you come across a website with absolutely no rating, it is most likely complete and utter garbage. (There are exceptions. Like I said, it’s an imperfect tool. But it’s a benchmark.)

So with this knowledge, please go forth and analyze, my friends.