(ABC 6 News) – It’s no secret that a significant portion of Americans get their news from social media. Scrolling through your feed, you’ve likely seen friends sharing news articles from questionable sources.
With the election looming, the spread of fake news is more rampant than ever.

University professor Hany Farid has a blunt suggestion: “Get off social media.” Studies have
shown that social media can negatively impact our mental health, and polarizing political posts
only exacerbate this by fueling anger, hurt, and strained relationships. Farid emphasizes, “If you
want to be on social media to talk to your friends and family: fantastic. Stop getting your news
from social media. That’s not what it was designed for.”

So, what can you do to protect yourself from the onslaught of misinformation?

• Be skeptical: If you hear someone say, “Well, I saw it on Facebook…”, approach the information with caution.
• Check the source: Before sharing a post, verify the credibility of the news organization. Is it reputable, or known for producing fake news and clickbait? If in doubt, don’t share.
• Limit political content: If you want to avoid political posts on your profile, go to your Facebook settings and block specific keywords. This prevents people from posting those terms in your comments.
• Snooze or unfollow: If a friend consistently shares posts that upset you, consider snoozing them for 30 days or unfollowing them altogether.

Remember, Facebook doesn’t currently offer a keyword-blocking tool for news feeds. If you find
that checking Facebook frequently leaves you feeling worse, taking these steps can help,
especially as we navigate the heightened tensions of the election season.