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It is heartening that some media organisations like Reuters, AP and DW have begun fact-checking online (mis)information, to verify the accuracy and authenticity of videos and photos circulated on social media.

A few years ago, I was obsessed with doing that myself, insistent on running every harrowing video or image shared by friends through a reverse search to sift truth from falsehood. Since weening myself off social media, however, I’ve felt less of an urge to do so.

It usually landed me in hot water anyway, as people generally believe whatever they want to. Who wants to hear nerd face pointing out that the photo they shared to mobilise sympathies for alleged victims of one conflict had in fact been recycled from earlier hostilities in a completely different part of the world?

It’s a positive development then that we now have professional journalists taking the time to verify media shared online in those viral avalanches which incense the masses. Videos purporting to show terrorist atrocities in full swing traced back to source, their date stamps and meta data revealing the truth, that they originated elsewhere, in another time or place.

But, alas, there is a flip side: those that refuse to believe anything at all, writing everything off as misinformation. How to fact check these claims? That every report we have heard is propaganda, mainstream media lies and false news? For these, because some of the information shared turns out to be false, by necessity it must all be false.

In truth, all sides in every conflict are capable of mixing truth and falsehood, in whichever way seems to be to their advantage. The business of fact-checking claims and counter-claims grows ever more complex. In the thick of it, very few are capable of dispassionately reviewing the facts. Most of us are steered by our biases and prejudices instead.

So here we are. One group of people have decided to disbelieve every single report, regardless of its veracity. Another group chooses to accept every single claim, no matter how spurious or easily debunked. Somewhere between the two stands some kind of truth. Those interested in the truth will seek it. Everyone else will just take sides.