Social Media in the Middle of a Pandemic
Pretty much all that everyone has been talking about the past few weeks is the Coronavirus. Whether it be believing it, brushing it off as an overreaction, making memes, or providing social and political commentary, it is all anyone posts about anymore.
And for good reason, too. After all, COVID-19 is the first pandemic since the H1N1 pandemic in 2009. And this time, our social media presences are more diverse and developed, and it is clear that even in the beginning stages of this pandemic, that social media is playing a huge role in how we respond to it.
However, the role of social media in the midst of such a life altering event has both pros and cons.
The spread of false information is one con that has serious damaging effect across the world. COVID-19 is a new virus, and we don’t have a lot of information on it just yet, so it is hard to distinguish the reliable sources from the untrustworthy ones.
Still, we are being bombarded with information every second regarding this pandemic, and it is hard not to react to every piece of news we receive. Like with every major event, false information is spreading, causing people to act rashly and sometimes in insensitive or offensive ways. It can be overwhelming attempting to figure out who to trust.
One of the outcomes of the spread of false information is panic buying. If you have gone to the grocery store at any point in the past few weeks, you might have noticed that the shelves are emptier than they usually are. Toilet paper, soap, hand sanitizer, and wipes seem to be going off the shelves faster than employees can stock them. I couldn’t even buy bananas or potatoes during one of my trips.
This kind of panic buying comes from the spread of false information on social media. While it is important that the public takes this epidemic seriously and uses proper caution and stays inside as much as possible, many news sites have taken to sites like Twitter and Facebook to report news on COVID-19 using language that is designed to ignite more fear in their audiences than calming them down. This is because stories that cause fear in the public are more likely to be clicked and read by the public. Even in a pandemic, it is important that people be wary of what articles want you to be safe, and which articles only want your attention.
It’s also a time where people are arguing back and forth about whether we are taking this too seriously or we aren’t taking this seriously enough. It can be stressful seeing everyone fighting and having strong opinions on such a serious subject, especially if you live in an area that is more densely populated and is seeing cases skyrocket with each passing day.
Yet, even in this time, one good thing about social media is that it helps us feel less alone. In the coming weeks in which we must do all we can to isolate ourselves, it can be easy to feel lonely. Fortunately, social media is a good means of staying in touch with friends, older family members, as well as getting updates on our current areas travel and business restrictions.
People are sharing stories of Italians singing from their patios, or uploading fun activities to YouTube to entertain children, or family Skype calls to sing happy birthday. These videos help bring a little hope into a time filled with darkness.
It is important in times like this that we can come together and still find humor and fun things to pass the time, while being able to share them with millions of other people to share in their fun. It is a way to have a bit of normally and connectivity that we all need as humans.
Still, being on social media for the duration of our time in isolation can be too much for anyone to bear.
My advice? While it is good to stay informed and be aware of the changes and developments regarding COVID-19, it is equally as important to get outside, develop a new hobby, or listen to music or watch a tv show to take your mind off of things.
Listening to all of the news and opinions on social media 24/7 can be damaging to our mental health and give us a hopeless view of humanity. However, by taking a step back from our phones to read a book, watch a tv show, take a walk outside, or do something that makes us laugh, we can become a little more grounded in our situation. We can become a little more hopeful, realizing that the things in our everyday lives that we still have, are just as important as the news. In turn it can help us all make it through this together with a more positive attitude.
So be aware, but don’t be afraid to set your phone down from time to time, too.
