We are living in the post-factual era.
We are living in a world that you can look straight to the cameras and the eyes of people and with straight faces lie to them and find no consequences.
We all are in a way or another is victims of lies.

I remember during 2009 Iranian presidential election one of the most mesmerizing signs that supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi (who became the leader of the green movement and in house arrest in last 6 years) held during their marches were “Lie is Forbidden” It was a response to presidency of M. Ahmadinejad and his empire of lies and deceives.
That election didn’t turn out great for the Iranian people. But that experience now is not just for Iranians.
The last few months showed the world how a system of lies can change the world for the worst.
Look at the Trump presidency so far and the challenge of fact checking and finding truth.
Now the power of fake news is shaping our world and our future. There is no exaggeration here. Look at the executive orders about the environment that president trump signed a few days ago.
Take a look at any press briefing at the white house and see how the battle between fact and alternative facts is proceeding.
And here we are at the first day of April and all the world – even the news organization who are the main victims of lies and misinformation – are participating in an odd celebration of the fake news.

I know there is a history before this 1st of April fool day. I understand that sometimes it was an innocence practical joke. But Are we really need such a celebration today? We are living in the practical joke world. All the year we ask people to caution, to be sensitive about facts and on this day we – even us journalists – participating in a celebration of lies.

Maybe it is time to change the tradition. After all, we are humans and if we are not going to evolve, we are defiantly going to extinct.
Let’s stop lying even as a joke. Let’s be responsible or at least if you can’t resist participating in a symphony of lies put an alarm somewhere in the headline or at the end of your content.