That’s social media
Over the last month on social media, I’ve encountered people spreading proven disinformation regarding serious crimes, falsely blaming illegal immigrants. Attacking others based on their ethnicity and faith. Inciting hatred and violence and even going as far as calling for attacks on Mosques.
The response. We just say ‘that’s social media’.
Over the last month on social media, I’ve been told about military engagements in Ukraine that are likely to escalate into all-out nuclear war. I’ve been advised that the power grid is about to be wiped out by solar flares and that the Yellowstone super volcano has erupted, with mass-evacuations in progress. None of that happened.
The response. We just say ‘that’s social media’.
Over the last month on social media, I’ve seen people directly accusing Donald Trump and Joe Biden of child sex offences. Both of them have also been accused of setting up the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. This is in addition to the usual comparisons to the most evil people in our history.
The response. We just say, ‘that’s social media’.
Over the last month on social media, people have been trying to sell me unlicensed and potentially dangerous medications. Others have been using their ‘personal brands’ to tell me I’m a failure if I give up. That it’s my fault if I don’t succeed or if I’m unhappy. That’s among the usual stream of unscrupulous people pretending to be friends or followers and effectively pushing pyramid schemes or outright scams.
The response. We just say, ‘that’s social media’.
When are we going to stop?
Let’s just take a second to do these three easy things:
Think about what all of this is doing to you, even if you see straight through it
Reject things like this, whatever side you’re on
Ask yourself, how much is enough?
Seriously, where will this lead if we all stay silent?