Social Media and Truth

     How do people obtain information in order to know what they know?  I start off by thinking there are several ways in which we gain information, but gaining and retaining valid information may be a bit tougher at times.  The first step for any data exchange is for the subject to be exposed to the information involved.  This is where readers need to be a bit careful when choosing which medium to utilize as a valid information producer.  This becomes evident when looking through the stories and information posted or shared on Facebook.  Although at times social media can be a great place to find solid sources of info.  
     Just today my wife shared a link with me on Facebook, and I was very impressed with the actual source and content.  It was a story found on a Rainforest Action Network (RAN) site, and it is very good news for nature preservationists.  This article claims that JP Morgan Chase will no longer be funding any mountaintop removal operations.  I do believe this story, as the link was an organizational website, and most organizations hold high standards of integrity for data they post.  Of course I will continue to research the topic, but I definitely leaned to the side of believing this source as a valid example.  I was really intrigued by this story, because mountaintop removal is a highly debated topic in the area I live. 

     (Starbuck, 2014) explains how many financial institutions have been thinking the same way as of lately.  I am glad to know that mountaintop removal is beginning to lose traction, by losing access to some of the money that drives their operations.  I think this is one good example of how a social media site can directly led to a valuable source of information, although there is quite a sea of misinformation online as well.