In today’s social media world, a news story can travel around the country before anyone stops to ask one important question: Is it actually true? A recent viral claim involving NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers offers a nearly perfect example of the problem.

A report began circulating on social media claiming O’Neal had purchased the Buss family’s remaining shares of the Lakers and would become the franchise’s next controlling owner. It was the kind of headline practically designed for social media. Shaq is one of the most recognizable Lakers of all time, the team has been going through major ownership changes, and a former superstar returning to own his old team makes for an incredible story. There was only one problem: It wasn’t true.

Heavy examined the viral claim and found no credible report that O’Neal had purchased the shares. There was no announcement from the Lakers, no announcement from the NBA and no confirmation from O’Neal. Instead, credible reporting surrounding the Lakers’ ownership situation identified investor Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger as the people involved in the latest proposed transaction.

That difference illustrates one of the biggest challenges facing journalism today. Social media rewards attention. A sensational headline can generate thousands of likes, shares and comments within minutes. Unfortunately, the algorithms distributing that information generally do not wait for a reporter to make a second phone call, verify a document or find an independent source. Being first can be valuable online. Being interesting can be even more valuable. Being accurate sometimes feels like it comes in third.

That creates a temptation for anyone operating a social media page, news website or community publication. A dramatic story appears online. It seems believable. Everyone is talking about it. Publishing it quickly could produce tremendous engagement. But that is precisely when journalists need to slow down.

The Shaq story was especially believable because it contained pieces of truth. The Lakers really are going through an ownership transition, and the Buss family's ownership has been the subject of legitimate reporting. Add Shaq — a Lakers legend with a well-known business career — and suddenly the false story sounds possible. That is how misinformation often works. The most effective fake news isn't necessarily completely ridiculous. It mixes enough reality with an unverified or fabricated claim that readers think, "I could see that happening."

For legitimate news organizations, that makes sourcing more important than ever. A Facebook post is not automatically a source. A screenshot is not automatically a source. Another website repeating something it saw on social media is not independent confirmation. Ten social media accounts repeating the same claim do not equal ten sources if all of them originated with the same unverified post.

Journalists should be asking basic questions before hitting publish: Who originally reported this? How would that person know? Is there an official announcement? Has a reputable news organization independently confirmed it? Can we contact someone directly involved? Are multiple outlets actually confirming the information, or are they simply citing one another? Those questions take time. Sometimes they also mean watching another page collect thousands of likes while you wait. That's OK.

A news organization isn't supposed to win every race for clicks. It is supposed to build something much harder to obtain: trust. This matters even more at the local level. A false report about the Lakers may eventually be corrected and forgotten. A false local story can damage the reputation of a business, elected official, school employee, coach, nonprofit organization or ordinary resident. In a small community, the person being discussed isn't a distant celebrity. It may be someone's neighbor, employer, teacher or family member. Once inaccurate information spreads, a correction rarely travels as far as the original claim.

That is why there is an important distinction between a social media page that posts interesting things and a news organization. Journalism requires standards. It requires verification. It requires being willing to hold a story when the facts aren't there yet. None of this means established news organizations are perfect. Newspapers, television stations and major national outlets make mistakes. Good journalism isn't defined by never making an error. It is defined by having a process designed to prevent errors, being transparent about where information comes from and correcting mistakes when they happen.

Readers have a role in this, too. Before sharing a shocking headline, look at who published it. Open the article instead of reacting only to the headline. See whether the story identifies its sources. Search for confirmation from another reputable outlet. If the claim involves a major company, government agency, professional sports league or public organization, look for an official statement.

The internet has given virtually everyone the ability to publish information to thousands — sometimes millions — of people. That is an incredible opportunity, but it is also an incredible responsibility. The Shaq-Lakers rumor will eventually become another forgotten piece of social media misinformation. The lesson behind it shouldn't be forgotten.

Likes measure attention. Shares measure reach. Neither measures truth.

For a news organization, credibility has to matter more than all three.