What I believe based on life experience is that the further removed I am from an information source, the more likely it is to be untrue, outdated, inaccurate, distorted.

What I see with my own eyes is LIKELY to be true, although even the process of perception causes distortion.

What someone I personally know tells me has already been distorted THREE TIMES, but is still probably good information, if they are a trustworthy individual.

Friend-of-a-friend? That's FIVE distortions, count them. This type of information is good for compounding, but is not reliable enough by itself.

Any further than that, and I might as well be flipping coins. Add to that various conflicts of interest, and I'd rather avoid hearing it at all.