Today’s political climate almost requires you to keep up with what’s going around you and if you’re one of those people who say you don’t watch the news, you’re in for some serious problems.

And today, not only do you have to pay attention to the news, you have to watch out for unreliable news sources.  Not to sound like a republican but there is a thing as fake news — it isn’t what you think it is.

If you’ve ever browsed social media sites like Facebook, you’ll see news articles from sites like Breitbart and Addicting Info, which are both infamous for peddling clickbait.

Reputable sources are often, but not always, newspapers that have historically solid reputations as being the pinnacle of truth. These publications include The Washington Post and The New York Times.

But if you’re looking for local beats offering objective — not alternative — facts, look no further than your local newspapers. Earlier this month, the East Bay Times won a Pulitzer Prize for their news coverage of the Oakland Ghost Ship fire.

Information is readily accessible for your consumption and if you don’t take advantage, it’s on you.

So often, people complain about political to social reform but they don’t take the time to get information on these topics, let alone accurate information on theses topics.

With the Internet being so widely used, and the mass utilization of social media, it shouldn’t be so hard to stay abreast of the things going on your environment.