The Truth Fairy: A New Column Tackling Misinformation in a Post-Truth Era

As a media literacy educator, there’s one question I hear more than any other: How do we even know what to believe anymore?

Five years ago, while watching a misinformed mob storm the U.S. Capitol, I had an epiphany. Our collective ability to detect dishonesty has fundamentally broken down. This realization marked a turning point in my career, shifting my focus from writing about parenting and relationships to studying how information is created, disseminated, and controlled in our digital landscape.

Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to helping people navigate our complex information ecosystem. I’ve spoken with hundreds of students about the mechanics behind influencer content, assisted thousands of community members in distinguishing fact from fiction, developed an online course on recognizing misinformation, and advocated for media literacy legislation with lawmakers.

The common thread in all these conversations? A desperate need to know whom to trust in a world where truth seems increasingly elusive.

As children, we’re taught that truth is paramount. “Just tell the truth, and no one will get in trouble,” we’re told. But this simple principle becomes complicated in a society where vaccine hesitancy is rising despite the return of previously eradicated diseases, and where generative AI makes creating convincing deepfake videos accessible to virtually anyone.

The problem extends to the highest levels of government. Our president has made numerous false claims—from assertions about Haitian immigrants eating pets to linking Tylenol with autism—while media outlets struggle with how to report these falsehoods while maintaining their commitment to journalistic balance.

The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that PolitiFact, instead of identifying a single “Lie of the Year” as it has done for 15 years, simply declared 2025 “The Year of the Lies,” citing the “overwhelming volume and severity of inaccurate claims.”

Deception comes in many forms—gaslighting, fake news, alternative facts, spin, doublespeak, disinformation—but regardless of terminology, the effect remains the same: a society divided by conflicting versions of reality.

This column aims to provide readers with tools to navigate this challenging landscape. We’ll explore critical thinking strategies, methods to identify reliable sources, techniques to break free from media echo chambers, and ways to understand how professional fact-checkers verify information. Perhaps most importantly, we’ll discuss how to engage constructively with family members whose media consumption has led them to radically different conclusions about the world.

I approach this work with strong convictions but also with humility and curiosity. I recognize that I’m not immune to persuasive falsehoods. When I make mistakes—and I will—they’ll be instances of misinformation (unintentional inaccuracies) rather than disinformation (deliberate deception). I welcome correction from readers, just as I’ve never hesitated to call out inaccuracies when I spot them in others’ communications.

The stakes in this conversation couldn’t be higher. A society cannot function when its members operate from fundamentally different sets of facts. Democracy depends on a shared understanding of reality, even when we disagree about what to do with that reality.

Misinformation isn’t just an abstract problem—it’s profitable, expedient, and increasingly used as a tool for accumulating power. As citizens, we need to be informed and prepared to recognize when we’re being manipulated.

As George Orwell presciently noted in “1984,” “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” In today’s information environment, that observation feels more relevant than ever.

This column will serve as a guide through the murky waters of our post-truth era, helping readers separate fact from fiction and rebuild a foundation for meaningful civic discourse. Because ultimately, none of us wants to be deceived, and we all recognize that dishonesty does not lead to a better society.