Truth moving from an absolute into something more nebulous and divided is one of the more troubling developments of our modern culture.

We used to be able to agree on some basic facts that stood as cornerstones. We may have disagreed on the application of those facts, but the base was typically set in truth.

That is how media worked, and the interpretation of those consuming it began from a posture of truth.

That’s not the way the world works today.

“Truth” has been challenged at all corners, to the point where it’s now sold that “what is true for you may not be true for me.” Fueled by technology, there is more access to more information, and it has become harder to vet information posing as the truth.

At the same time, everyone seems to have an agenda, and, when that agenda gets readily published as the gospel, it has created a situation ripe for echo chambers and distrust.

Traditional media sources, once considered flag-bearers of truth, have been cast into the sea of information, making it very hard for the average consumer to discern fiction from reality.

A colleague and I talk about that often, and he came upon an interesting project from the University of Cambridge.

Called “The misinformation susceptibility test,” it was hailed to give “a solid indication of how vulnerable a person is to being duped by the kind of fabricated news that is flooding online spaces.”

The format was quite easy. There were 20 headlines presented, some real and some fake. The “real” headlines were chosen from reputable news sources, where Chat GPT was used to create the “false” headlines.

The user had to decide which applied to each headline, and was scored after completing all 20.

“Misinformation is one of the biggest challenges facing democracies in the digital age,” said Professor Sander van der Linden, senior author of the study, and head of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab.

The results were very interesting.

Those 65 and older were the highest-scoring, with 66% getting 14 or better correct.

The 45 to 64 cohort was next, with 60% getting 14 or better right.

The 30 to 44 group was next, with only 35% scoring 14 or better, and those between 18 and 29 only saw 29% of their group score 14 or better.

It’s no surprise the younger generations are typically spending more time online than their elders.

That test also asked some data-gathering questions, one checking how much time each person spends recreationally online in a day.

For those who spend nine or more hours per day online, only 32% got 14 questions or better correct. Those who spend two or fewer hours a day online saw 59% get right 14 questions or better.

Very interesting results, indeed.

And scary as we continue to rapidly grow our world in a digital fashion. I took the survey and got 16 of 20 right. It was noted I “may be a bit trusting when it comes to the news.”

In relation to news media organizations, I have a couple of takes:

∫ Those who better recognize truth from falsehood are likely those who have more experience with traditional media. People need to be careful where they curate information from, and should seek out trusted media sources.

∫ That said, we haven’t done a great job of separating ourselves from the sea of misinformation, and, in some cases, we’ve contributed to it by publishing slanted or biased information.

In order for traditional media to sustain, it needs to stand by the truth and present the facts in a manner that allows people to again stand on truth as their cornerstone, and base their decisions starting on solid ground.

∫ We need to find ways to make it easier for consumers to quickly sift through digital garbage and reestablish ourselves as beacons of truth. That is easier said than done, obviously.

∫ News organizations need to present truth in a more humble fashion. Our industry for years saw itself not only as the truth, but the “man on the hill” who was one of the few capable of making sense of information. There is a scene in “The Greatest Showman” where P.T. Barnum is discussing the local big-city reporter:

“Yeah and all the snobs in New York read him … he does their thinking for them.”

That kind of self-righteous view will not hold up in a world that encourages more to think for themselves with tools readily available.

In our current culture, the truth is evasive, and we in traditional media haven’t done enough to solidify it.

Warped truth continues to be a major challenge in our society. With all the constantly evolving technology, I pray the masses find their way back to the truth and those of us who try to curate it continue to try and protect it.

Alpena native Jeremy Speer is the publisher of The Courier in Findlay, Ohio, the Sandusky (Ohio) Register, The Advertiser-Tribune in Tiffin, Ohio, the Norwalk (Ohio) Reflector, and Review Times in Fostoria, Ohio. He can be reached at jeremyspeer@thecourier.com.