The Gatekeepers of Truth

 

Digital Age Commodities 

Information is a commodity. We can go out and get information like no other time in history. It is literally at our fingertips. Getting this information is an active process. There was a time when we had to wait for the stories to come from someone else. From somewhere else. Others decided what we needed to know about (Baran, 2021).

Not only can we go out and find more information, or stories that actually interest us, we have the ability to take our own video and share them – with anyone in the world.

But should we?

Before social media, Journalist would go out and interview and ground truth the story for us. This is not to say they were always right, but they deal in facts. Social media has given the “common man” the power to decide what is newsworthy and to go after and share that story with others. This is a heady power. With all power there comes responsibility.

It is not just the humans who are creating and sharing questionable stories, but the very way algorithms meant to make our lives easier. As AI is used more and more in journalism it is important to remember that there is a human programmer behind the robot. While the robot might not have any biases, the human does, realized or not.

Algorithms are meant to show you what you want to see, what you enjoy seeing on your social media feed which is one of the things that is so great about social media. It is also something that creates a bit of an information bubble around us. It is worth looking at stories and truths that make us uncomfortable as well. This practice makes us more well-rounded and gives us perspective.

All of the companies we use for social media are private companies. This means that platforms goals and your goals are not necessarily in sync it is also important to note that freedom of speech is not the same with a private company as it is with the government (at least the U.S. government).

 Be the Example

You are the gatekeeper of truths. It is up to you to check the stories you choose to share and create. Everyone has a perspective, and their own truth. If you are sharing your opinion, be sure to tell others that it is just that. Your opinion. 

Do you have all of the facts? From both sides? Will the sharing of the story lead to hurt and mistrust, or will it enlighten and heal? It is important to not read a headline and share it with your friends without looking at the article too. The well-intentioned headlines can be misleading.

 

It is not that words hurt. It is the intent behind the words. Create the stories. Share the stories. But – be mindful of those stories too.

 

Learn more.