On Rumors, Lies, and Infographics

Does this make sense to you?

The statistics are made up but I put them in a graphic to make a point: Graphs give credence to information even if it's not true! There is so much misinformation on the internet, especially on social media, and it irks me.

But I should probably stop correcting people who pass around internet rumors. It wastes my time and sounds snarky. Still, it's uncomfortable for me to just let lies fly around. What do you do?

I hereby resolve to be less sarcastic and more patient. But first please allow me to post some advice.

1. Don't automatically believe charts and other graphics. Anyone can make one!
2. Before you pass on a hot story, do a little fact checking. At least look up the original story instead of relying on someone's opinion. And check Snopes or look up the topic on Wikipedia — it's not guaranteed accurate but it often provides good background information. Or search out a key phrase and the word scam.
3. Consider the source. What are the qualifications of the writer? If none are given, be very skeptical.
4. And keep in mind: Just because something backs up your philosophy doesn't make it true.

From now on I'll try to control my impulse to get self-righteous when I see internet lies. It's easy to hurt someone's feelings and we've all been fooled by something we read. There must be a polite way to handle this.

???