So I'm a bit of a news junkie. I have an exceptional BS meter, so I'm not worried about being misinformed or misled when I switch between CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News to get different political viewpoints. I don't like to jump to conclusions and prefer to hear both sides of the story before passing judgment.
I grew up before the World Wide Web was invented in 1989, so I'm old enough to remember when more traditional news media, like newspapers and broadcast news, were the primary sources of information on current events. Nowadays, we got the Internet and social media that enable broadcasting and sharing of news and information to mass audiences at little to no cost. At first, this may seem auspicious, but, unfortunately, misinformation and disinformation have plagued the world.
I never understood why people would get information from non-reputable sources, like unknown blogs and news sites, or some YouTuber whose video production is of low quality. Apparently, all you need now is an Internet-connected computer, a video camera, a microphone, maybe a whiteboard, and to sound like you know what you're talking about.
Here's a tip: If you see an online article from some unknown news source, check its Media Bias Rating at AllSides.com to see where it falls on the political spectrum. Alternatively, Google the news site's name and append "media bias" in the search query (for example, "Associated Press media bias").
Back in April 2020, a few weeks after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, I was alarmed by a post I read on Facebook. Here's an excerpt:
"In short, I can tell you with all of my certainty, that this 'pandemic' is completely fake, (no that doesn't mean the virus doesn't exist, so spare me). It continues to blow my mind that anyone at all believes this is real, and not a part of a larger, Globalist agenda. The information proving this is a huge hoax, along with the motive for it, is literally everywhere. All you have to do is scratch the surface. But most of you don't. You choose instead to cower in your houses, afraid of human contact, glued to the fear porn coming out of the tube, and waiting for instructions from the man on what to do next to be a good little drone."
I could not believe that educated people could be this incredibly ignorant and moronic. But I was more alarmed by how widespread this kind of thinking was spreading on social network sites. Other comments that try to undermine the coronavirus and deaths are just outright disgusting. This nonsense, mostly rooted in conspiracy theories, is what's been helping prolong the COVID-19 pandemic.
As with many Americans, I was very troubled by the events on January 6, 2021, when insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol. I saw disturbing videos of violence, like the bleeding police officer getting crushed by the mob and another get dragged and beaten by rioters. Worse, it was incited and supported by leaders in the country. It's the worst event that has happened in the United States since 9/11.
The Social Dilemma is a Netflix documentary film about the destructive consequences social media can have on people's lives and democracy. It essentially predicted the siege at Capitol Hill last week. One of the tech executives interviewed in the film was asked what he was most worried about regarding the harmful effects of social media. His reply was there could be a civil war.
The response and criticisms for the incitement of violence and Wednesday's sedition were swift and deservingly harsh. It helped restore my faith in humanity, but it's going to take months, if not years, for the country to fully heal from the calamity. The crises and sociopolitical unrest that have transpired in the past several months should be a wake-up call to where and how we, as a people, are consuming our news and information, just as it was forewarned in The Social Dilemma.
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