As dubious as memes seem, they can be a reliable source for the up-and-coming generations of news junkies.
When consuming news in that way, Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia, said social media users have to rely on their best judgment when deciding whether a meme is a credible information source.
“A particularly unappealing image of a politician you do not like may not be all that useful for learning about the candidates and issues, but it is fun, maybe, to put forth images that make Donald Trump look stupid or make Hillary Clinton look mean,” Farnsworth said.
