Letter From the Editor: An Age of Information
(Illustration by Dana Binfet)
We live in the Age of Information. Since the rise of the internet and smartphones, search engines and Siri, virtually all of the public knowledge in the world can be accessed in a matter of seconds. However, does quantity of information equate to quality?
If we’re talking about dictionary entries or statistical evidence, maybe. But, when it comes to social media and all of the millions of accounts from around the world, I would err on the side of “maybe not.”
Social media can be powerful. Digital platforms can spread information far quicker than word of mouth or printed newspapers. But, with great power comes great responsibility. When you think of the two billion people worldwide that use social media daily, a handful or two of them are bound to be irresponsible. And, it only takes one spark to start a wildfire.
Media literacy - or the ability to critically evaluate media - has been a necessity for decades, and the connectivity and anonymity that comes with social media has only elevated the need for media comprehension. It only takes a few dollars and some decent graphic design skills to convince others of your journalistic integrity, and while we cannot stop people from speaking, we can improve our ability to gauge the reliability of their words.
No amount of manipulation or fear-mongering by online media outlets - or Twitter users, for that matter - can excuse the lack of responsibility that we as consumers take on. At the end of the day, we are responsible for the media we choose to consume.
Just two months into 2020, the internet is already overwhelmed with conspiracies, theories, fears, and everything in-between regarding the year’s most pressing news stories.
Of the many breaking news stories that have encouraged Twitter and Facebook users alike to furiously type on their keyboards, the coronavirus outbreak has been a constant source of chaos online - and in the real world - since its beginnings on Dec. 31, 2019.
Amidst the international health crisis, that has killed nearly 3,000 and infected roughly 77,000 people as of Feb. 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) has begun putting their efforts toward protecting the public from dangerous misinformation, which was being spread by the public. With an epidemic of this calibre quickly infecting thousands across Asia, health officials should be able to put their full attention toward the virus itself, and not the side effects of online fear-mongering.
Likewise, it should come as no surprise that massive manipulation via social media would be particularly evident during an election year. With Super Tuesday next week and the November Presidential Election quickly approaching, opinionated citizens are wasting no time in publishing their hot new takes, entirely fabricated rumors, and subtle threats against potential candidates.
We need some sort of immunization for misinformation, but the WHO seems to have their hands full right now with combating coronavirus. And censorship conducted by Facebook and other platforms can only eliminate so much content. It's up to us citizens to fight off the infectious intrigue of headlines chock full of flashy adjectives and exaggerated statistics.
People tend to overlook just how much a shift in power at the top can trickle down and impact the day-to-day lives of those in and outside of the United States. Considering our campus alone, funding for SMC’s professors, resources, even the maintenance of our campus are all in the hands of elected officials.
So, instead of allowing the angriest, the loudest, or the ones with the most followers to dictate your news intake, try filtering through media before you take everything you read as truth.
It’s really quite simple: double check your sources. Be wary of alarmist headlines. And if you identify with the demographic of people who find themselves particularly vulnerable to clickbait, maybe step away from your screens and go grab a copy of “The Corsair” newspaper instead.