Offline, we wash our hands so we don’t catch or pass on a disease. We emphasize physical hygiene to our kids.
Online, we need to practice information hygiene and teach everyone how to use social media responsibly, just as we do cars, guns, water, & fire.
It takes 20 seconds to wash your hands properly.
It takes 30 seconds to check info before you share an update.
How? “SIFT” the content: https://infodemic.blog/
Stop.
Investigate the source.
Find better coverage.
Trace claims, quotes, & media to original context.
Whether we wash our hands or scrub our feed of viral misinformation, we can stop the spread to our friends, families, & communities as others become vectors for infection.
The more social interactions someone has, the more responsibility they have not to pass on a disease.
The bigger a platform someone has, the more responsibility they hold. (Mark Zuckerberg, for example.)
But this isn’t just about media in 2020: every politician & member of the public has to help.
Always verify before you trust or amplify.
Deny lies oyxgen.
Attention & trust are 2 of the most precious commodities today.
Whether it’s algorithms suggesting politicians & content, taking $ for ads, running op-eds, or broadcasting a tsunami of lies or a protest live, tech companies, media, & the public all give speech reach.
What we amplify or damp shows our ethics.
Please don’t pass on disinformation or 🦠
digiphile 