There is no doubt that social media has drastically changed the way we communicate and share information. Unfortunately, the problem of disinformation and misinformation in social media has become pervasive in modern societies, with the spread of fake news, hate speech, and other malicious content. It has become a major issue for social media platforms, as it can be used to manipulate public opinion and spread false information. As a result, it has the potential to create political, economic, and social instability and in turn divides between people, as those who believe the false information may start to see those who don’t as their enemies.
The main source of disinformation are malicious actors who deliberately spread false information in order to achieve their own goals. They use various tactics, such as creating fake accounts, using bots to spread content, hiring influencers and engaging in astroturfing. They usually use sophisticated techniques to make their content appear more credible, such as using false sources, identities and creating sophisticated graphics.
The spread of disinformation is also facilitated by the structure of social media platforms. These platforms are designed to maximize user engagement, which leads to content that is spread quickly and widely. What is more, the algorithms that determine what content is shown to users often favor sensationalist and controversial content, which is more likely to be shared and spread. Since users can post and re-post anything they want without any fact-checking, as a result, false information can quickly go viral, reaching a large audience in a short amount of time.
There are several steps that I believe can be taken to address the problem of disinformation. Social media platforms should verify the identity of users and prevent the creation of fake accounts. They should also take steps to limit the spread of malicious content and ensure that users are aware of the potential disinformation, all of the unverified political and informational content should have a visible warning. Additionally, platforms should work on educating users about the issue, so that they can better recognise and report false information since it is realistically impossible for such platform operators to verify all the content themselves.
Finally, governments should also take steps to regulate social media platforms and ensure that they are held accountable for the spread of false information. This could include setting standards for content moderation and ensuring that platforms step up to preventing the spread of malicious content. Additionally, governments should ensure that users have adequate protection against malicious actors, such as the right to sue for damages caused by disinformation. I sincerely believe, that without adequate legislation, social media platforms will only push the responsibility of verifying content onto the users, washing their hands from the issue, since they will not spend extra resources on something that is not required from them.
Overall, the problem of disinformation in social media is a serious issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. Social media platforms should take steps to prevent the spread of malicious content, while governments should regulate and hold platforms accountable. But regardless of whether the above will be implemented or not, there are some best practices that we all should know and follow:
- Always fact-check the information before sharing it in social media and if you are not sure whether the information is credible just don’t share it.
- Look for and verify the sources. Stories with only one or no sources are more suspicious than stories with multiple.
- Consider the agenda. Keep in mind, that news organizations operate for money. It does not mean all of them will provide false information, it is quite the opposite. Nevertheless, there will be many of them that will want to target a specific group of people and will skew the perspective to better fit this group’s preconceptions. Be aware that many propagandists will very often use seemingly open questions that point to a specific conclusion to push their agenda as a matter-of-fact truth.
- Be cautious of stories playing to emotions. They are not automatically false, but keep in mind that propagandists and scammers know very well of the power this tool wields.
- Break the chain. If your friend or family member (I know we all have one of those) share some unverified or false information, call them out. It is most likely an uncle or aunt you have not seen in years, what is the worst that can happen?
Sadly, it is really a lot of work to always follow all of the above. Fact is that it takes very little to share a post, while much more to verify it by yourself. That is why, and I cannot stress it enough, if you are not sure about the creditability of a story, please just do not share it.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/fake-news-social-media-twitter-mit-journalism
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/24/tips-avoid-misinformation-ukraine-2/
https://library.geneseo.edu/ElectionsAndPolitics/SocialMediaLies
