How to Deal With All the Social Media Bullshit
Social media is bullshit because it’s the hose of everything. Essential oils cure all diseases! Sharks swim on the freeways of Houston! Okay, not really. This is why we see so much garbage on social media and what to do about it.
Why is there so much bullshit
You see it because someone shared it. This means that in order to be successful, the lie must be believable. Not one hundred percent trustworthy, but close enough for you to believe it in the two seconds it takes to read the headline, think “oh wow,” and hit the Share or Retweet button.
We tend to believe in what we see on social media because it comes from the people we trust: our friends, our family, and the people we choose to follow because they like or admire them.
http://vitals.lifehacker.com/why-you-shouldnt-trust-your-friends-health-advice-1798713055
Now you can distrust all your friends. What do you think, Jane always speaks of toxic GMO in all, and this can simplify the viewing of its 19th reference of how Monsanto is poisoning children. But what if you see the same story from another friend who is a little less distant? And from the third? The title is no longer true, but now you start to wonder, maybe there is something in this.
In fact, a Yale University study found that we were more likely to believe a fake headline if we saw it before. And computer simulations show that a good way to help spread a bad idea is to get a small group of people to believe in it so they can start sharing it with their friends. Think of this group as the spark that ignites a wildfire. Even if the fire doesn’t start at first, this small group continues to burn shit.
Social media bullshit can start naturally when a group of people find each other and discuss their beliefs. But it can also be spread through targeted networks of bots and trolls , through marketing campaigns targeting you with advertisements on different platforms , and through a media ecosystem where every post needs clicks on a hot topic, no matter how important it is. to say or not. …
What can you do
Know that your friends trust you. Just a little bit. If you share a link or idea, you slightly approve of it. (Yes, even if your bio says “RT is not an endorsement.”) You also increase the number of times a person sees that headline or idea, which means you are increasing their power.
So, please rate before you share. Yes, I know you don’t have time to dig into every suspicious tweet. But here are some ways to spot nonsense that will take you less than a minute:
- Check the date. Are you sharing anything that you think is relevant to today’s news, but is actually from last year’s version of the same scandal? If it’s old, but still worth sharing, be sure to mention it.
- Look for sources. If there are facts or things that claim to be facts, look where they come from. When it comes to research, is there a link to a scientific article? When it comes to law, does this story clarify what the law says and ask a lawyer how it will be interpreted or applied?
- Check it out. Check with a place that could confirm the fact, if it were true. In the event of an outbreak, the CDC must have a statement. If the planes are underwater at Miami airport, Miami airport will report it, or at least the Miami news outlets will cover it. And this news will have the current date and the relevant sources – see how it all works together?
- Reverse image search. It is difficult to verify the facts in the photo, but you can easily find out if the photo itself is old. Right click it and check .
http://lifehacker.com/fact-check-that-viral-image-in-two-clicks-1798538832
These tips won’t protect you from everything, but they will stop at least some of the bullshit. And then you helped make the world a less shitty place! Think of it as the digital equivalent of candy on a hike.
Your assignment, if you choose to accept it: Think of some nonsense you saw on social media that looked convincing at first. Why did you almost believe it? What told you that it was illegal? Discuss in the comments.