Study reveals we tend to twist facts and statistics on controversial issues to fit our own beliefs

From news outlets to social media sites, there are numerous places that spread fake news, but a study has uncovered a new source – you. Researchers found that people will misremember numerical statistics on a controversial topic in a way that fits their own commonly held beliefs. For example, when people were shown that the number of Mexican immigrants in the United States declined recently during the study--which is true but goes against many people's beliefs--they tended to remember the opposite. And the team also found that as people pass along this misinformation, the numbers can become further and further from the truth. The study was conducted by a team at Ohio State University, who carried out two studies to investigate how people perceive and spread fake news.