While social media has revolutionised information sharing and consumption, it’s undeniable that it’s also facilitated the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Photo / 123rf
While social media has revolutionised information sharing and consumption, it’s undeniable that it’s also facilitated the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Photo / 123rf
OPINION
There’s no denying it, social media has changed the way we share and consume information.
Right now, in real time, we are witnessing a humanitarian crisis taking place in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine. For me personally, it’s been eye-opening for so many reasons. The spreading of misinformation and cognitive dissonance has been particularly hard to navigate.
Social media has democratised information, empowering us to become both creators and consumers of content. It’s broken down traditional barriers to publishing, allowing anyone with an internet connection and a smartphone to share their thoughts, ideas, and experiences with a global audience. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have diversified the way information is presented, moving beyond text-based formats to incorporate images, videos, audio, and live streams. This multimodal approach caters to different learning styles and preferences, making information more engaging and accessible to everyone.
While social media has revolutionised information sharing and consumption, it’s undeniable that it’s also facilitated the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
The dark and disturbing side of social media is how easy it’s become to create false narratives that can have dire real-world consequences. Photo / 123rf
Algorithms can create echo chambers, where users are primarily exposed to content that aligns with their existing beliefs. We’ve also seen how social media platforms can be exploited for manipulation and propaganda, influencing public opinion and political outcomes.
Social media platforms were famously used to spread disinformation and propaganda during the 2016 US presidential election. Fake news articles, divisive content, and targeted advertising were used to influence voter behaviour and potentially sway the election outcome. It was simultaneously impressive and terrifying, the way Russian hackers were able to use social media to spread divisive content and sow discord among American voters. They created fake accounts and groups, impersonated real Americans, and shared inflammatory content aimed at exacerbating existing social and political divisions - and it worked. Who can forget Pizzagate? Now a widely debunked conspiracy theory about a child-paedophilia ring linked to Hillary Clinton, as ridiculous as it sounds, some people did - and still continue to - believe it.
That’s the dark and disturbing side of social media and how easy it’s become to create false narratives that can have dire real-world consequences.
Social media was a hotbed of misinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. False claims about the virus’s origin, effectiveness of vaccines, and government measures spread faster than the virus itself, hindering public health efforts and causing confusion.
Something interesting I’m witnessing at the moment is the increasing expectation and pressure placed on social media influencers and content creators to become social commentators. I find myself conflicted because although it can be a powerful and defiant act of allyship, it can also be dangerous if the person sharing information is perhaps out of their depth.
As a content creator myself, and one who also happens to be a social commentator, there’s always a fine line between what is and isn’t appropriate for someone like me to share with my online audience. I know that for the most part, the trust that I’ve built with my online audience was hard-earned and can just as easily be lost. In order to keep and maintain their trust, I have a moral responsibility to do my due diligence when it comes to who and what I endorse.
Sometimes (annoyingly because my work and income is sporadic) that means having to turn down lucrative endorsement deals because I’d have to lie in order to get the pay cheque. It’s not always easy but it’s necessary if I want to remain a credible source within an increasingly saturated and competitive influencer marketing industry. Despite taking all the precautionary measures, it can still go wrong and I have to front up and own the mistake. However, it’s one thing to retract something I’ve initially said about a new vacuum cleaner, but it’s an entirely different thing all together if “fake news” is shared that could directly and negatively impact another human being.
The sheer volume of information that’s being shared on social media right now is overwhelming and can lead to information overload, making it challenging to filter out reliable and credible sources. This necessitates a critical approach to evaluating information and discerning its authenticity.
Whether we realise it or not, we all have influence. We should absolutely use our voices when there are grave injustices taking place in the world around us. There’s never been a better time to embrace our collective humanity. Now, more than ever, we have a responsibility to ask ourselves if what we are sharing online is adding value or adding to the noise.
