Share... with care!
The Social Dilemma has us worried about posts and videos recommended by AI-based supercomputers. But how is our life affected by that tiny little share button on our screens? Let's find out!
Earlier this week, I watched 'The Social Dilemma' - a fantastic Netflix documentary that explains how supercomputers and their algorithms feed us the content that we read and watch online to alter the way we think and eventually help advertisers. We don't realize how we lose track of time, going down the rabbit hole of recommended videos on YouTube or scrolling through the infinite news feed on Facebook. While I completely recommend spending a good hour and a half of your time watching this documentary, there's something that it doesn't talk about. There is an additional layer that exists over and above the consumption of content on our phones, tablets, PCs and laptops - a layer so powerful that it is hardly ever questioned, is used by millions across the globe and can have severely damaging consequences if used erratically - the Share button.
Why do we share?
Sharing is caring, right?
It is something we have been taught since we were toddlers. Share your toys with your siblings and friends. Share your notes with your classmates. Share your thoughts with your work colleagues. Empathize and share the emotions of the ones close to you - in happiness and in moments of grief. Share your knowledge with the world. It is a basic human tendency to share what we possess and this helpful nature of us humans has been used so well by the developers of the share button.Bragging rights - Let me be the first to tell you!
We live in a world driven with information and in this era of abundance, what matters is how quickly you possess that information. But it doesn't stop there. Not only do we want to hear it first, but we want to be the first to share it as well. Just look at our news channels with their MEGA EXCLUSIVE coverage with anchors flailing arms and straining their vocals just to be the first to convey their message.No accountability, no penalty
Probably the most crucial reason for the explosion in the amount of information we share is that we can't be held accountable for it. - 'Don't shoot the messenger' as the old adage does. In the quest to be the first one to share information, pausing to check if that information is true is considered a cardinal sin. The more sensational and controversial the information, the faster it is shared. In fact, an MIT study in 2018 concluded that false stories spread six times faster than true stories.The Share button - It is EVERYWHERE.
Every social media platform. Every e-commerce app. Every chat application. We spend a significant amount of time per day staring at our phones and the Share button dominates in almost every screen that you swipe through. And it is free! How do you ignore something like that? Sharing an interesting post or a controversial news article or the latest meme is probably now an involuntary activity.
So we've clearly established that sharing, as a virtue, isn't going away anywhere. If used well, it is truly beneficial and essentially contributes to the very fabric of living and growing together. The problem starts when we start sharing content that is controversial and untrue. It starts debates and conspiracy theories, eventually resulting in warped perceptions of reality and polarized opinions leaning towards violence, destroying the mental health and peace in society.
What should I not be sharing?
Click-bait headings
For those unaware, the name is self-explanatory. These are interesting, intriguing, eye-catching, juicy, seductive headlines that act as bait for you to click on them and fall into a trap.You won't believe what happened behind the scenes
The ONE thing that you should be doing to be successful at work
The 7 secret tips to get a guaranteed match on Tinder
Didn't you feel like clicking on those? Can't blame you - the human brain can only resist so much! One recommendation - AVOID! Just don't click on them. I assure you that in almost all cases, the content inside the link is going to be worthless and you will end up disappointed. You would rather work on being a better person than click on an article that promises you a Tinder match.
Forwarded as received
Have you ever received a message that has the phrase 'Forwarded as received' in it? Well, ignore it straightaway. Even if you believe it to be absolutely true. When someone sends you a message with that phrase, it has just one meaning - 'I do not take responsibility for the contents of this message. Someone sent it to me and I'm doing just the same. In case it is false or causes you any harm, please don't blame me'.Forwarded-to-death messages that are are too good to be true
This one is slightly subjective and you will probably get better over time. Some tools help you with this as well, such as the double-arrow on WhatsApp that helps you identify any message that has been shared incessantly before it arrives in your notifications. But you'll soon realize that:Wrong grammar / spelling mistakes / weird formatting
Hilarious as it may sound, for all the efforts fake news peddlers put in to make it sound sensational, controversial and share-worthy, they generally err in basic English grammar and punctuation. Sometimes, you might also see a barrage of needless emojis, along with capital letters randomly thrown around. Flexing your patriotism with the Indian flag emoji probably goes down as Rule #1 in the Fake Forwards tutorial textbook. With a keen eye, such messages will appear more conspicuous than the others, which should be enough to raise your suspicion on their validity.
What can I do?
Do a quick google search
It takes barely any time to perform a Google Search. Just do it. If you have an iota of doubt on whether the message you received or the news you read is fake, just run a search to confirm. Several fact-checking platforms investigate viral content and bring out the truth.Break the chain
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, you would now be familiar with the term 'rate of doubling', also known as 'geometric progression' - where 1 becomes 2, which becomes 4, which becomes 8 and so on. The theory applies to the content you share as well. Every share button tap amounts to an exponential increase in the spread of the content being shared. You are responsible for this. Break the chain when you spot something fake. Do not forward. You have probably protected a significant amount of people from reading and getting affected by a piece of information that is false and misleading.Call it out!
Inform the sender that the content is fake. Do it in private first - the mistake could be completely genuine. But if the fake news keeps coming in, call it out in public - it could be a small WhatsApp group or your social media page. Discouraging someone from spreading misleading content is something our country and the world could do with.
So let's recap. In today's day and age, sharing has become synonymous with carelessness rather than caring. The spread of fake news, especially by established institutions that have been trusted for decades, is seriously worrying. Hollywood actor, Denzel Washington minces no words calling out the fake news being peddled by the media today.
If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do read it, you’re misinformed
Phew! This has turned out to be longer than I thought it would be. I sincerely hope the next time that share button magically attracts your finger towards it, you think twice before you actually tap on it. If you liked reading this article though, I am not going to stop you from using the button below to share it with your family and friends. Ironic, I know! You can drop a comment to let me know your thoughts and subscribe, if you haven’t already, for a new piece every week, straight to your inbox.
Also, do check out The Social Dilemma over the weekend, if you haven't already and let me know how you like it. Until next week, adios!