Own truth

This week’s social media hype is one that I am most annoyed about, with many wishing for the president’s death or even assuming that he is. It could have started with a speculation post, claiming that there are many police officers surrounding a private hospital. The narrative was ignited by subsequent posts saying that may he rest in peace, when he is indeed very much alive. Despite multiple photos and videos to debunk this false claim, the internet is quick to label mainstream media as spreading fake information.

I always wonder where the detractors of our current administration get the audacity to label the media as such. While I am not siding with any politician (not even the president), what I cannot stomach is the sheer confidence of proliferating false information. It is so easy to judge journalists and label their hard work as wrong while they piggyback on their own truth.

If we analyze the definition of truth, there is a multitude of ways on how to go about it. In fact, the truth is always questioned if it is one that is true. Philosophers have long debated whether truth is something objective or something shaped by perception and belief. Journalism, at its core, does not have the luxury of indulging in abstract interpretations. It operates on verification, on evidence, on accountability.

What we are seeing online is not a philosophical exercise. It is not a healthy skepticism of power. It is the deliberate bending of facts to fit a narrative that people want to believe. The rumor about the president’s supposed death is not an isolated case.

What is alarming is how quickly false claims are accepted as truth, and how aggressively they are defended even when disproven. A single unverified post can travel faster than a carefully-reported story, gaining traction not because it is accurate, but because it is convenient or emotionally satisfying. When legitimate news organizations step in to correct the narrative, they are met with hostility. They are accused of bias, of cover-ups, of being part of some imagined machinery designed to deceive. This is where the idea of “own truth” becomes dangerous.

This erosion of trust does not just harm journalists, it harms the public. When people can no longer distinguish between what is verified and what is fabricated, decision-making becomes compromised. Public discourse becomes chaotic. Accountability, which relies on a shared understanding of facts, begins to crumble.

It is easy to dismiss this as just another social media episode, something that will pass in a few days. But each instance leaves a residue. It normalizes the act of believing first and verifying later. It conditions audiences to doubt credible sources while placing blind faith in anonymous posts.

Journalism is far from perfect. It is a human endeavor, and it makes mistakes. But there is a fundamental difference between an error that is corrected and a lie that is insisted upon. The former is part of the process of seeking truth; the latter is a rejection of it altogether.