To Share or Not to Share?
You’re always right…until you’re wrong
In the age of social media, it’s so easy to find information on anything you want. Everything is immediately at your finger tips, and it can become a reflex to believe the first thing pops up. Because why not? What reason is there to be skeptical?
With an increase in accessibility of information comes an increase in the ability to forge information. Increased media technology doesn’t just give you unlimited access, it also gives anyone else access to alter that information. Unverified sources and pictures are just as easy to access as the real deal, and not being aware of the risks cause people to believe whatever pops up first. Photoshop has become a key tool in allowing users all over the globe to cultivate whatever narrative they want, whether it be true or not.
In an era where the president has waged a war on the media, it’s more important now than ever to be cautious and aware of what we share on social media and where we get our sources from. There is no room for mistakes anymore. Every click is valuable and vital. “Fake news” is arguably the most uttered phrase in the last year, and a quick way to squash it is to not share fake news. And that comes with checking your documents before they’re shared.
Technology in 2017 can be a journalists best friend or worst nightmare. Being aware of where your information is coming from is a key aspect of effective journalism. We can’t live in a world where individuals are accustomed to sharing whatever pops up first and ‘seems’ true. Verifying your sources is the difference between sloppily sharing sensational news and effectively posting facts.
