A Norwegian anti-immigration group mistook empty bus seats for women in burkas and chastised them on Facebook, the same week that JK Rowling condemned Donald Trump on Twitter for an act he didn’t commit.

Welcome to our click-happy world.

Most of us are now dependent on social media, to some degree.

Even if weeks go by where I’ve not posted anything myself, I’m still scrolling for news, views and memes that elicit a tired laugh after a hard day.

But whilst it can serve as detached entertainment for the working masses, it’s increasingly highlighting that as well as a fake news epidemic, a similar story goes for fake opinions.

In Norway, far-right group Fedrelandet viktigst (Fatherland first) were mocked after members mistook a photo of six empty Oslo bus seats for women wearing burqas.

Cries of this group of women being “tragic”, “terrifying” and “disgusting” are alleged to have been posted in response to the image on Facebook: if it weren’t so hateful it might be funny.

In a similar thread, Harry Potter author J.K.Rowling chastised Trump for ignoring a disabled child at a meet and greet in the White House.

Whilst an edited clip showed him bypassing the wheelchair-bound child and shaking everyone else’s hand, Trump had in fact crouched down and said hello to the child moments before.

What he said to the child, we can only imagine, but as far as performing the routine puppet act for the press, he had on this occasion carried out the requirement.

Yet before this full version was shared enough on social media, cue the video montages of his predecessor, Obama, and his affection for children of all abilities.

It’s little secret that Trump has a lot of haters, but to condemn him for acts he has not committed is just as bad as the fake facts he is often heard professing.

I’ll admit as I watched the edited clip Rowling posted, there were tears in my eyes, muttering “what kind of monster?” under my breath.

It isn’t easy viewing watching the President of the free world sidestep a disabled child.

But, if I was a high profile celebrity, I have to question whether I would jump to condemn something when I did not have the full facts.

She later apologised for her comments on Twitter.

We all have a part to play in the sharing of fake news, and posting knee-jerk reactions before allowing the full story to emerge is dangerous territory – particularly when you have more than 11 million followers as the popular author does.

Whether you’re a lefty like Rowling or sway to the right like the Fatherland First group, should we not meet in the middle over facts?

If not even for decency’s sake, then at the very least to avoid public embarrassment.

When you’re directing hate at an empty chair, it’s time to consider the virtue of online patience.