This item is in the news. Look at the photo and contemplate the photo and the headline for a moment.

Due to careful cropping, Reuters has left out the Guardia Nacional emblem on the soldier. The photo shows a Mexican National Guard soldier, in Mexico, talking to immigrants from Guatemala. He does not prevent them from entering the U.S. – he explained to them the danger of attempting to cross the border and the Rio Grande River – but does not detain them.

• Remember that most people only read headlines and do not read the underlying story.
• Remember that photographs can convey an entire story – true or not – in an instant.

A day later, Reuters updated their wire story and Twitter feed to show this without the cropping.

Their description still omits that this shows a Mexico National Guard soldier and that the immigrants were not prevented from crossing the border.

Shortly after this, they crossed through the bushes and the Rio Grande to waiting U.S. Border Patrol on the U.S. side of the river at El Paso, TX.

Reuters has a substantial history of using altered and staged photographs.

The way to respond to accusations of fictional news reporting is to double down on accuracy, objectivity and remaining calm. Unfortunately, the news industry continues to harm itself through self destructive behavior typical of middle school drama. If the news media wishes to be respected, then earn it. Stop engaging in this self destructive behavior.

Meanwhile, Snopes is likely busy fact checking more satire web sites …