It's been a rough week. I know you know that because like you, I've been on social media and have witnessed the division this nation—heck, the world—has recently found itself in this political climate.

And although I have quite a lot to say about these recent events, it's not so much the political affiliations or views that I find problematic. It's no secret that social media has been playing a major role in this recent election and now a Trump presidency. The problem here is that people aren't being critical in their consumption of information. Just because your pal Judy shared an article on Facebook with a convincing title or an attention-grabbing photo does not mean the content is guaranteed to be factual.

Although I hate to admit it, I have fallen victim to this very same dilemma, and I see it happen to others on a daily basis. Surprisingly, even some major news stations have recently gotten criticism from airing inaccurate material. This problem extends that far. It really does touch everyday life. Moreso, the result of sharing unchecked content can skew the way we look at others. Specifically, those who are different from ourselves.

If anything, we should be more critical with the messages we are faced with on social media platforms. The types of information and content that typically go viral are distributed to get shares, not fact checked. Hastily retweeting and not conducting any background research only aids in the spread of misinformation. Even worse, by spreading falsities over social media, you can alter opinions and viewpoints of those who view your posts. This makes it difficult in situations where important individuals are involved, i.e. the President. A perception can become common knowledge and influence bias even if it is not factually sound.

So the next time you're tapping the retweet button, remember to be critical...and maybe unfollow Trump while you're at it.