TLDR

Social media feeds that are optimized for endless scrolling, we get an internet where misinformation thrives...

The news is deluging. People's attention spans are shortening. When these factors are combined with social media feeds that are optimized for endless scrolling, we get an internet where misinformation thrives.

Consuming news has become a social act in many ways. We can use social media to share what we're reading and thinking. Others respond with their own ideas and opinions. Algorithms detect all of this activity, and our feeds soon feed us what to consume next - one after the other. While it may contain true news and information, it is frequently an opinionated take, inaccuracy, or even propaganda.

Of course, the internet connects us to trustworthy sources. When it comes to social media, however, it comes down to whether or not we actually stop scrolling and take the time to verify what we're seeing and hearing. So, how can we combat misinformation in our endless feeds? Consider the following five suggestions.

1. Extract the aesthetics

Have you seen this cool infographic? Know that it's most likely designed to do just that: capture our attention. The same goes for content from creators we admire. They're dancing one minute and giving us health advice the next. Before we accept what we see and hear at face value, we should consider the 5 Ways:

  • Who is posting? Is it true that they are the original source of the information? Who is, if not you?
  • What is the topic of this post? Is it the source's expertise, or are they relaying personal experience?
  • When was it published? Is the information still current, or have things changed?
  • What is the location of the event depicted in an image or video?
  • Why did they put it up? Is it their intention to sell you something or gain your support in some way?

2. Take a beat if something makes you emotional

Shocking images and videos can quickly spread on social media. It doesn't mean we can't trust them, but it does raise the stakes when they turn out to be deceptive or manipulated.

Consider what might happen if that is the case before clicking the like or share button. What impact would spreading false information have on us, other people, or the larger world? Emotions can cloud our judgment, especially when the subject is personal, so simply pausing to allow our critical thinking to kick in can often do the trick.

3. Recognize when it's time to go deeper

Misinformation can manifest itself in obvious ways. Consider typos, grammatical errors, and obvious image or video manipulation. But it's not always easy to tell. Is it a screenshot of a linkless article or a video of a large protest? Is the topic of the post divisive?

An expert, such as an investigative journalist, fact-checker, or researcher, may even be required to determine whether a piece of media has been manipulated or if a post is the result of a sophisticated disinformation campaign. That's when knowing how to locate expert work and reliable sources comes in handy.

4. Report incorrect information

If you discover something is false, report it in the app. Because social media companies frequently rely on users to flag misleading and dangerous content, take an extra but significant step to help ensure that others do not fall for misinformation.

5. Inspire your curiosity - outside of the feed

The truth is: Because our attention spans are shrinking, learning about the world through quick, visual content can be more entertaining than reading. That's fine! Still, we should take some time to explore what interests us outside of our social media apps.

Have you heard something outrageous? Look up news articles to learn more; perhaps you can even take action. Do you have strong feelings about a topic that everyone is talking about online? Begin a conversation about it in person. Our screens provide us with a window into the larger world, but looking up to notice what's right in front of us can also be rewarding.

With Hocalwire's social media auto-posting feature, any news items and articles that match the specified rule will automatically post on the selected social media sites. NoFollow or NoIndex Tags are provided by Hocalwire CMS to enable and disable the crawling of a certain page. This might be a convenient tool that enables you to pick carefully what information needs to be searchable online. If you're searching for one, schedule a demo of Hocalwire CMS by booking a time.