As I said in last week's article, I'm a newcomer to the beautiful, awful world of social media. Because social media and the Internet weren't part of my childhood, I've come to understand their power and possible danger better than many Millennials. The fake news epidemic that has taken over our social media feeds and Internet searches is one of these issues. So here's my thoughts on responsible media consumption and RESISTING PROPAGANDA IN ALL FORMS!
1. Go to the direct source.
Many news outlets literally copy and paste one another's stories in order to get the story out quickly. Also some news companies like Time.com own multiple websites/magazines which contributes to this muddying as well. Take a second to Google the original reporting that went into a story ESPICIALLY IF THE NEWS SEEMS SKETCHY.
2. Check the numbers.
Science, pseudo-medical, and political articles are notorious for exaggerating or selectively reporting statistics. Again, look for multiple, independent sources reporting similar data.
3. Read multiple sources with varying bias.
There's a lot of factors that contribute to bias (see #4) but espicially consider the audience for a publication. I read Buzzfeed News, The Establishment , the UK print publication The Economist and National Public Radio's website because those all have VERY DIFFERENT AUDIENCES. Following various publications on Twitter is a really way to do this.
4. Support non-partisan news publications.
Writers/reporters and all the tech support/administration of these publications need to eat and support themselves too. The Establishment now lets you sponsor one of their fabulous articles on a variety of feminist topics and NPR usually runs fundraising drives in the fall to mention a few ways.
5. Question the bias!
Consider the motivations for writing about a topic—partisan revenge, normalizing bigotry, attempting to piece together semblances of truth among others. Also, consider the background and privileges that the author/reporter has and how that influences their work. For example, a white Republican would likely feel differently about immigration than a Latinix Republican which could influence their writing or reporting.
6.FOLLOW A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
Living in an echo chamber of similar ideas is never a good plan.
7. Click on articles before sharing.
I've seen this one posted all over the internet but it bears repeating. Even if you just skim it, it's better than not reading it at all!
8. Report news outlets that lie/misinform.
Accountability matters and this includes word choice on a topic. For example an article supporting trans rights SHOULD NOT MISGENDER INTERVIEWEES. Here's how to report things on Facebook.
9. Use different mediums of media.
The Internet is wonderful, but TV, print publications, radio still have a role in today's media.
10. Don't just focus on headlines or what's trending.
Seek out sources that compile a week's events or put a pattern of events together. Even better, keep track yourself in a notebook or Google Doc of key issues that matter to you. The big picture matters.
11. The really BIG picture matters.
Educate yourself on the history behind an current event. We're still seeing repercussions from WWII, the Cold War and President George W. Bush's presidency TODAY.
12. Talk to other humans about current events.
You needs as many perspectives as possible when propaganda can feel overwhelming.
13. Create media yourself!
Now's the time to flood the Internet with your own articles, podcasts or videos. Maybe you should become an Odyssey Creator!!
