Social Media Lies: LJ 6

The first part of this week’s readings taught me a lot about social media regulations, laws, and ethics. It discussed internet and social media laws present in the United States, as well as in other countries such as China and the U.K. It was interesting to think about the presence of different social media platforms in different countries, and how laws and regulations affect user activity based on geography. This discussion is all the more relevant in recent years, as social media’s capabilities are rapidly advancing: “concern over illegal online behavior in cyberspace is nothing new, but the openness of social media publishing generates many more cases and concerns” (Lipschultz 2020).

In addition to the laws, the ethics behind the ever-changing and developing social media landscape was discussed. Ideas about what is or isn’t allowed and what should or should not be allowed were presented. I enjoyed learning about the ways lawmakers, governments, and social media conglomerates companies such as Facebook and Twitter navigated the rapid technological advancement in terms of laws and ethics. I thought this material was very insightful and interesting. We are all active on social media, so knowing and understanding its laws and considering the ethics behind them is important. 

Reading this material also reinforced some privacy concerns that have always been in the back of my mind. Facebook specifically has been in the news about some data or privacy scandals more than it should have been. “Facebook, or Meta, doesn’t hold a credible stance for data privacy. So, what’s troubling for the existing (and future) Meta users is how the company aims to protect their privacy” (Hashim 2022). Though I am not very active on Facebook, I am active on WhatsApp and Instagram, so the numerous privacy breaches are concerning.

Even with privacy concerns in mind, I never took the time to go out of my way to learn how to be safer online. Nothing bad in terms of cybersecurity has ever happened to me, so I always had a lax mentality toward the subject. However, I am aware that this wasn’t the smartest way of thinking and acting. I am glad the readings not only made internet security a higher priority in my mind, but they also taught me tips on how to have a safer online presence. The National Security Alliance shared how you should “learn about and use the privacy and security settings on social networks…Protect your reputation on social networks…Be cautious about how much personal information you provide on social networking sites…Use tools to manage the information you share with friends in different groups or even have multiple online pages… Keep security software current” and more suggestions (“Social Media” 2022).

The second part of this week’s readings heavily considered the state of lies, misinformation, and propaganda in relation to social media. Throughout history, there has been an issue with unethical media practice of spreading inaccurate information for personal, organizational, or political gain. Unfortunately, the rise of social media has severely enabled this practice. In fact, according to an MIT study, “false rumors spread faster and wider than true information… falsehoods are 70% more likely to be retweeted on Twitter than the truth, and reach their first 1,500 people six times faster” (Brown 2020). It is worryingly easy to spread conspiracy theories and false information, especially since rumors are more likely to elicit a reaction from the reader because it is likely novel and unusual.

Misinformation is additionally more likely to be spread when it is about politics: “A study of Twitter users that rated their political leanings found that both liberals and conservatives end up sharing information from sites that repeatedly post news of low credibility” (Menczer and Hills 2020). Because rumors often go viral, they are often the more accessible pieces of “news,” and they end up being what people believe, discuss, and pay attention to. This unfortunately feeds into the already intense political polarization that exists in our country.

The amount of Americans that get their news online is on a rapid rise– it has actually doubled since 2013 (Stecula and Pickup 2021). I am included in this population. It is the easiest, most convenient way to learn about current events. We are already online and present on social media, so it easily fits into our routines without extra steps or effort. I have always been aware of the rapid spread of misinformation, the exposure to conspiracy theories, echo chambers, confirmation bias, politicians’ manipulative roles and intentions in all of this, and many related topics, and this week’s readings reinforced my knowledge and concerns on the topics. I always fact-check what I read, and take any “breaking” headline with a grain of salt. I have strong political beliefs, but I try not to only read what supports my beliefs or get swayed too easily by information I learn online. It is certainly difficult because my algorithm knows what I believe, but I will always try and maintain neutral in the ways I obtain news.

Brown, S. (2020, October 5). MIT Sloan Research about social media, misinformation, and elections. MIT Sloan. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/mit-sloan-research-about-social-media-misinformation-and-elections 

Hashim, A. (2022, February 16). Will 'meta' resolve data and privacy issues with 'facebook'? PrivacySavvy. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://privacysavvy.com/security/social/will-meta-resolve-facebook-data-privacy-issues/ 

Lipschultz, J. H. (2020). Social Media Communication (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Menczer, F., & Hills, T. (2020, December 1). Information overload helps fake news spread, and social media knows it. Scientific American. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/information-overload-helps-fake-news-spread-and-social-media-knows-it/ 

Social Media. Stay Safe Online. (2021, June 30). Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/securing-key-accounts-devices/social-media/ 

Stecula, D. A., & Pickup, M. (1AD, January 1). Social Media, cognitive reflection, and conspiracy beliefs. Frontiers. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2021.647957/full