"Oh, we've been giving that coronavirus shot to our cattle for years. It's been around forever. If you eat cattle cubes when you're a kid and lick salt you're safe"
"I'm not too worried about it. The president said it will go away in a couple of days so it's not really that big of a deal"
"If you're nasty you should be [scared of the coronavirus]. If you're not washing your hands, taking care of yourself, being clean"
"Uh, I think like a million people have it"
While these trivial comments may bring out a chuckle when played on Jimmy Kimmel Live, it is easy to forget that misinformation regarding the coronavirus is spreading like wildfire throughout the United States, and the fact that social media is available to almost everyone is exacerbating this issue. As a result, we are living in both a pandemic and an "Infodemic."
Misinformation in the social media is not a recent development since the coronavirus, but rather an issue that has been consistently rampant online. False rumors and gossip continue to fill news articles, blogs, tweets, and posts. This is especially true throughout election season and is often referred to as the 'Hoax Flux.' Some examples of COVID-19 misinformation today include home-made remedies, alleged pharmaceutical vitamins for purchase, and racial stereotypes (especially towards the Asian community). Unfortunately, there is some information on social media that is specifically spread with malicious intent. Hackers and digital traps lure clueless Americans into their website by promoting coronavirus information. But, in reality, these hackers steal personal data and implant computer viruses on those who view their website. So, what are social media companies doing to prevent the spread of misinformation regarding COVID-19 on their websites?
Many social media platforms are struggling to find a balance between respecting American's rights while also ensuring the safety and health of their participants. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer their members great liberty to express their thoughts and ideas. Much of this liberty is rooted in the First Amendment, so companies are weary to delete or ban content on their platforms for fear of violating the constitution (which would typically lead to a lawsuit). Due to the lax content restrictions, almost anyone can post anything, whether it be accurate or not, for everyone to see online. This liberty was especially exploited in the 2016 election, when the term 'fake news' exploded throughout social media.
Nonetheless, social media companies have taken certain precautions to limit the amount of COVID-19 misinformation on their websites. For example, Facebook is banning content that could "cause people harm, such as claims that discourage treatment or taking appropriate precautions against the coronavirus." Twitter is creating computer algorithms that combat inaccurate tweets; however, these algorithms struggle to interpretive complex human language and interactions. Because of this, it seems that only human labor has the ability to successfully solve Twitter's issue. Any Youtube now claims to prohibit any video that they deem to contain misinformation. Furthermore, all of these companies have joined with the World Health Organization to ensure that only accurate information is being viewed on their websites.
Once something is posted online, it can be liked, shared, or screenshotted within a matter of seconds, regardless if the post is deleted a minute later. As a result, these efforts don't seem to be reaping their benefits and misinformation still floods social media platforms. However, I'm not sure if social media should take a bigger stand against the unverified information spamming their websites. Banning accounts, disabling like and share features, and automatically deleting videos limits the right to free speech for the majority of Americans. What will happen once this pandemic over? Will those accounts will still be banned? Will Youtube continue to delete videos that they do not agree with? If people truly want accurate information regarding COVID-19 they should turn to sources that are consistently reliable, not your Aunt Becky from Texas who claims to have the coronavirus cure cooking up in her crockpot.
"I'm not too worried about it. The president said it will go away in a couple of days so it's not really that big of a deal"
"If you're nasty you should be [scared of the coronavirus]. If you're not washing your hands, taking care of yourself, being clean"
"Uh, I think like a million people have it"
While these trivial comments may bring out a chuckle when played on Jimmy Kimmel Live, it is easy to forget that misinformation regarding the coronavirus is spreading like wildfire throughout the United States, and the fact that social media is available to almost everyone is exacerbating this issue. As a result, we are living in both a pandemic and an "Infodemic."
Misinformation in the social media is not a recent development since the coronavirus, but rather an issue that has been consistently rampant online. False rumors and gossip continue to fill news articles, blogs, tweets, and posts. This is especially true throughout election season and is often referred to as the 'Hoax Flux.' Some examples of COVID-19 misinformation today include home-made remedies, alleged pharmaceutical vitamins for purchase, and racial stereotypes (especially towards the Asian community). Unfortunately, there is some information on social media that is specifically spread with malicious intent. Hackers and digital traps lure clueless Americans into their website by promoting coronavirus information. But, in reality, these hackers steal personal data and implant computer viruses on those who view their website. So, what are social media companies doing to prevent the spread of misinformation regarding COVID-19 on their websites?
Many social media platforms are struggling to find a balance between respecting American's rights while also ensuring the safety and health of their participants. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram offer their members great liberty to express their thoughts and ideas. Much of this liberty is rooted in the First Amendment, so companies are weary to delete or ban content on their platforms for fear of violating the constitution (which would typically lead to a lawsuit). Due to the lax content restrictions, almost anyone can post anything, whether it be accurate or not, for everyone to see online. This liberty was especially exploited in the 2016 election, when the term 'fake news' exploded throughout social media.
Nonetheless, social media companies have taken certain precautions to limit the amount of COVID-19 misinformation on their websites. For example, Facebook is banning content that could "cause people harm, such as claims that discourage treatment or taking appropriate precautions against the coronavirus." Twitter is creating computer algorithms that combat inaccurate tweets; however, these algorithms struggle to interpretive complex human language and interactions. Because of this, it seems that only human labor has the ability to successfully solve Twitter's issue. Any Youtube now claims to prohibit any video that they deem to contain misinformation. Furthermore, all of these companies have joined with the World Health Organization to ensure that only accurate information is being viewed on their websites.
Once something is posted online, it can be liked, shared, or screenshotted within a matter of seconds, regardless if the post is deleted a minute later. As a result, these efforts don't seem to be reaping their benefits and misinformation still floods social media platforms. However, I'm not sure if social media should take a bigger stand against the unverified information spamming their websites. Banning accounts, disabling like and share features, and automatically deleting videos limits the right to free speech for the majority of Americans. What will happen once this pandemic over? Will those accounts will still be banned? Will Youtube continue to delete videos that they do not agree with? If people truly want accurate information regarding COVID-19 they should turn to sources that are consistently reliable, not your Aunt Becky from Texas who claims to have the coronavirus cure cooking up in her crockpot.
Interesting take on the freedom which the internet gives people to sort of do what they like. I think that many people see the internet as a place to say things they might not otherwise say which can be a dangerous game, especially when it interferes with others and has the potential to hurt them. I enjoyed the balance between a humorous take and serious discussion you used in the article.
ReplyDeleteI agree that while many people take lightly what they say on the Internet or post on social media, these posts can have real, harmful implications. During a time when misinformation can lead to physical harm or public health risks—such as false claims that drinking bleach cures COVID—it is more important than ever that media outlets and social media platforms dedicate significant resources to limiting the spread of misinformation.
DeleteLike Mara said, I feel people feel that they can say whatever they want on internet without punishment. Honestly I feel social media has negatively impacted society. Not only has it led to people worrying about their following numbers but also the spread of misinformation that we see on it today is ridiculous. In times like COVID, this misinformation can lead people to do things without much thorough thinking. Overall, I feel that people go to social media to hear what they want to hear in times of chaos.
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