To Share or Not To Share?

That is the question.

Although the internet is an extremely valuable resource, we are extremely vulnerable to misinformation. Fake news and misinformation is difficult to retract, because not everyone knows how to distinguish credible resources. Wrong information has severe consequences that are often overlooked. It should be no surprise that in a healthcare profession, it is extremely important to use credible sources. So I ask of you, please be mindful of what you are so desperately inclined to share whether it be verbally or on social media accounts. There are many factors to consider before sharing information.

Here are a few:

What is your intent when sharing this information?

Are you biased?

Who is your intended audience?

Have you evaluated the reliability of the sources?

Who is the author and what are their credentials?

For web based sources, what is the URL?

Are the sources biased or outdated?