Today is April second—otherwise known as International Fact-Checking Day. And no, that’s not a joke. We already had April Fools’ Day yesterday, remember? That was your free pass to be gullible. Today, we get serious… sort of.

This holiday was created by the folks at the International Fact-Checking Network (yes, that’s a real thing) to remind all of us to slow down, breathe, and maybe—just maybe—check a source or two before we hit “share” on that meme about lizard people running the government.

Why Today Exists

Because the internet is basically a 24-hour rumor mill with a Wi-Fi signal. One minute you’re reading about Taylor Swift’s new album, the next minute someone’s cousin is claiming the moon landing was filmed in a Kroger parking lot.

International Fact-Checking Day is about making sure what we’re spreading isn’t hot garbage disguised as “breaking news.”

How to Celebrate Without Turning Into That Guy

You don’t have to start correcting every stranger on Facebook (please don’t). But here’s how to honor the truth without becoming the most annoying person at brunch:

• Check your sources. If it came from a website that looks like it was made in 2004, maybe don’t trust it.

• Ask questions. Like “Who wrote this?” and “Does this seem like something a sane person would say out loud?”

• Use your brain. You’ve got one. Let’s not keep it in airplane mode.

• Tell your friends—gently. “Hey, maybe don’t forward that story about aliens fixing inflation.”

Why It Matters in H’ville

Here in Hendersonville, we’ve got enough going on without accidentally starting a panic over fake headlines. The deer situation is real. The potholes are real. The guy at the gas station who claims he invented Bitcoin? Probably not real.

Let’s keep our news legit. Or at the very least, funny and not harmful.

Final Thought

In a world where everyone’s got a megaphone and half the people are yelling nonsense into it, Fact-Checking Day is our reminder to keep it real. It’s not about being a buzzkill. It’s about not being that person who spreads something dumb and then has to delete it later.

So happy International Fact-Checking Day, H’ville. Stay skeptical, stay smart, and stay tuned.