News spreads however it's first reported. Sometimes it's corrected later, but often times it's picked up and spread, even by major news organizations. You are a

News spreads however it's first reported. Sometimes it's corrected later, but often times it's picked up and spread, even by major news organizations. You are assuming that news will eventually be corrected by news organizations. First, that's a false assumption (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8757421 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8757421), and second, for many it's already too late by that point. An anecdote of one false rumor not mattering doesn't change the fact that accurate news makes a difference.