CKHS has changed oh so rapidly in the past 20 years or so, just like the rest of the world. Technology has caused the way we absorb news and media to have a massive metamorphosis. With this incredibly intense influx of insatiable and insane proportions, humanity has gotten used to everything from The Huffington Post and The Verge being spoon-fed to them. This would obviously affect a high school, since all of these hip-and-with-it youngun’s would quench their entertainment thirst with the internet, to play games, learn(?), and socialize with each other. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram persistently purvey as the pinnacle of personality and poise. Therefore, teens flock to them. News sites also make the migration, inherently ensuring that the plucky youngsters are exposed to them. This would lead to those sites becoming synonymous with a newspaper subscription, delivering current world events, and even staying free in the process. But, just like any good skateboarder will tell you, for every Hawk, there is a poser. Fake news. The persistent purveyor of pungently putrid prose.

Students all over CKHS have heard of and even met this vile beast of 1’s, 0’s, and lies.  Senior Nick Norton recalls the first time he encountered one of these fake articles: “I saw that Eminem died…he didn’t.” Norton wasn’t too surprised though, because the internet is just kind of known for being a sham, smoke and mirrors; even the news. “Things online shouldn’t be trusted,” declared Norton. That’s small fry though, a fake celebrity death to gain a couple clicks is no big deal. People get lied to everyday.
The need for clicks is strong, and so many sites have conjured “alternative media” to gain those delicious, scrumptious, hits of your left mouse button. There has been pushback though, Facebook setting up “fact-checking groups” and letting you the user flag these posts outright.

Cougs, just remember, stay safe online; and the Pope is responsible for The Bowling Green Massacre.