Social media is often referred to as a “digital town square.” This expression conjures up images of a place where people can go to say anything. To discuss whatever is on their mind. To converse with others, who may or…
Category: Social Media
Social Media Whac-a-Mole
With the US Presidential election rapidly approaching, social media companies are scrambling to eliminate interference on their platforms. Both Twitter and Facebook, the two main players, have made changes to their policies and practices. Some months ago, Twitter decided to…
Social Media: Fanning the Flames
When social media started, it was different from how it is now. Social media was a new way for people to communicate. To share ideas, disagree with one another, and have open discussions. Facebook, for example, was for people to…
Social Media Mixed Messaging
Figuring out the real information from disinformation/ misinformation can be confusing on any social media platform. Social media companies, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, also struggle to make this determination. Facebook claims to use algorithms to scan through millions of posts. However,…
Misinformation in the Time of the Pandemic
Even before the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) declared Covid-19 as a pandemic on March 11, all kinds of information about the new virus was spreading, making the term going “viral” a literal reality. In fact, even before the pandemic was…