Do We Have Too Many Social Media Detectives?
According to a 2012 infographic from Mashable, more than 50% of individuals learn about breaking news through their social networking sites instead of on traditional news media.
Regular citizens can break news stories as they happen — or at least quicker than traditional news media, in many cases.
But there’s a definite downside to news being able to spread so fast via these sites.
Rumors, misidentified suspects, or downright false information spreads just as quickly — and can even hinder police investigations.
False Information
By far the biggest downside to getting news from social media, false information can spread just as fast — or even faster — than accurate information. According to the same Mashable infographic, almost 50% of respondents had received breaking news via social media, only to find out later that it was misleading or false.
Rumors and false information spread via social media can be hurtful to families — such as the prematurely reported deaths of Joe Paterno and Steve Jobs.
Incorrect Identification of Suspects
Following the Boston Marathon tragedy earlier this month, social networking sites were abuzz with rumors, conflicting information — and incorrect identification of possible suspects.
One of the people falsely identified as one of the bombers was 17-year-old Salah Eddin Barhoum, who was terrified to see his face spread around the internet, attached to the bombing.
But there’s another problem with people jumping on incorrect identification of suspects: they can hinder the investigation.
With so many people sharing and re-sharing the wrong person’s photo, it can be more difficult for law enforcement to get the right photo out — which can make it harder to find the actual suspects.
One often-overlooked issue with social media being such a quick way to disseminate information is that traditional media outlets feel pressure to keep up — with sometimes damaging consequences. After the Boston Marathon bombing, CNN incorrectly reported that a suspect had been firmly identified after video analysis of the scene.
After that report, the AP tweeted that an arrest was “imminent” — a claim quickly refuted by CBS, who tweeted that they had learned no arrest was, in fact, made. CNN jumped back into the fray, claiming that an arrest had been made, followed by a similar story on FOX News.
All of this confusion likely stemmed from news sources attempting to be first with a story — without being careful to make sure the story was actually true.
How to Avoid Becoming Part of the Problem
As previously mentioned, spreading rumors and false information can get in the way of a police investigation, and slow the spread of accurate info.
You can avoid being part of this problem by:
· Following law enforcement agencies, both at the federal and local level. You can double-check information that you hear via social media with these agencies’ feeds to make sure you’re not forwarding the wrong things.
· Taking a moment to check up on photos and other information you first hear about on social media — especially when an investigation is ongoing.
· Refusing to share or re-tweet information that you can’t verify is true, or that doesn’t come from a reliable source.
Social media can be a powerful tool for law enforcement when used wisely. But everyone needs to be careful that they are not getting in the way instead of helping.
About the Author: Angie Mansfield writes about social media, small business topics, and business owners such as Steve Wynn.
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