When you first made your Facebook or Twitter account back when you were young, you probably had no idea how quickly it would become a part of your everyday life. Facebook was a site to connect with people and make friends, and Twitter was simply a platform to tweet whatever you're feeling in 140 characters. As time progressed and more and more people started discovering the beauty and convenience of social media, the more it became a necessity in the lives of people worldwide. Social media had become so much more than posting statuses and tweeting; we use it to network, to create and find jobs, and to receive news both locally and internationally.
In fact, according to Pew Research Center, 81 percent of U.S. adults get their news online and about 62 percent get theirs from social media. News consumption has taken various forms throughout the years from word of mouth, to print, television, and social media. The rise of digital platforms has paved the way for the creation of thousands of online newspapers, blogs, websites such as BuzzFeed, and much more. Those are the major sources of today's news consumers, and while people (especially millennials) are still interested in what's going on in the world, even the most important and newsworthy stories are often misconstrued.
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Imagine playing the game "Telephone" where you are given a phrase that you must repeat to the person next to you until it gets to the end of the line. That phrase is passed down from different sets of ears that register things differently to each person. More often than not, the final phrase is far different from the original phrase. This is a good example of what social media does to a story: a major news outlet publishes a story with valid credentials and sources, then people begin to see it and share it around. People perceive things differently, people have different views and beliefs, so reading the same story can have a different effect on them. No matter what the author's intent was, people will make assumptions, generalizations, or even add information to the story that was not there to begin with. It is so easy for people to manipulate a story when sharing it with their friends, as they are able to spin it to coincide with their own beliefs or values.
Let's take Twitter as an example. Whenever a groundbreaking story comes out, it circulates on Twitter incredibly fast. People or organizations with hundreds, or even millions of followers, are talking about it, so it must be juicy. But here lies the issue -- most people will see the headline of the story and retweet it without even reading its content. Or, people will open it, skim the article for the general idea, and assume that they have enough information to talk about it and form an opinion.
Having an opinion about things that are going on in the world, especially politically, is very important and everybody is entitled to one. However, if you have a strong opinion about a story or issue and want to voice it to the world, make sure that it is credible. That is, read the entire story from top to bottom and understand every last detail. Question the source from which it came from: is it from a major news outlet? Is it from an obscure site that you have never heard of? Is it from a friend or family member? The source of the information is critical, as it tells you whether the story was manipulated or if they are reporting the truth and there is factual evidence to back it up. If it is unclear where the story came from or if it is ambiguous, search it and find it on other websites to see if the information is accurate. If the same information is displayed on several different sites, odds are that it is legitimate. If the information is inconsistent with that of which you read, then odds are it was manipulated or hoaxed.
Another way to form a credible opinion is to look at both sides of an issue. Even if you are a very strong-minded person, that is OK and people should respect that. Being strong-minded, however, does not mean that you must put people down for their differing beliefs. Belittling people for having different beliefs is seen almost everywhere online and is one of the major causes of cyber-bullying. Even if someone's opinion is factually incorrect, instead of insulting or belittling them, educate them. Attempt to get them to look at the same issue from your perspective, and at the same time try to think of it in their perspective. Not a lot of people are able to see both sides of an issue, but if people are open to learning then they can better craft their arguments or opinions.
Remember, being open-minded does not mean that you have to stay neutral and that you cannot adhere to a single side. It is simply having the ability to see an issue from all sides in order to form a strong and backed-up opinion.
In news media, there is a term called "cognitive dissonance." Cognitive dissonance is wanting to seek consistency in your own beliefs and perceptions while trying to avoid disharmony or conflict. That is, most people will seek out information that is consistent with their beliefs only, and they will block out all other information that disagrees. For example, if you are a Republican, then you might want to read articles that endorse Donald Trump; however, if you come across an article that supports Hillary Clinton, odds are that you will scroll right past it because it contradicts your political beliefs. (Just a reminder that this is not a generalization of Republicans or any news consumer for that matter, as not everybody is subject to cognitive dissonance.) It is, however, something to be mindful of.
Next time you are reading major news stories on social media, remember to read the entire story for its content, question the sources, seek out similar articles, and make sure there is factual evidence so that no assertions or assumptions are made. Remain open-minded and try to avoid cognitive dissonance, as this will greatly improve your news and information literacy. Social media is a great tool to collect and share news with our friends and followers, so make sure that you are doing it knowledgeably.
