ALL NOV ROAR PAGES

DIGITAL DYSTOPIA
SOPHIA BAILLY /
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sophomore Adrian Delia scrolls through his social media
feed, chatting with his friends and staying up-to-date on news.
But unknown to Delia and his friends, social media accounts
have a mind of their own.
A recent Netflix documentary, “The Social Dilemma,”
delves into the horrifying addiction social media platforms
cause. The documentary elaborates
on the social, mental and physical
impacts these platforms have; but
above all, one strikingly eerie topic
leaves viewers questioning their
social-media usage: the political
misinformation these accounts
mediate.
“I’ve lost friends due to other
people’s political views because of
what type of information they tell
me,” Delia said. “I’ve seen different
political parties using their political
bias on social media to get young kids
to believe what they’re saying.”
While social media appeals to audiences as a base to
connect with like-minded people and share ideas and
opinions, is it possible that these platforms are out-of-control?
“I think people will get too far down a rabbit hole and
believe whatever they are told without looking at if the info is
true,” Delia said. “I’ve seen a rise of political topics on social
media, and I think it’s because we are close to the election.”
With 2020 ushering in an unexpected pandemic, national
racial reckoning, economic downfall and a controversial
presidential election, social media takes center stage.
“The speed with which information spreads on social media
is notably different from the way the media operated in the
20th century,” said Beth Rosenson, associate professor of
political science at University of Florida. “False information
can spread incredibly quickly and often people do not read
the corrections, if any are made. Sadly, most people don't
necessarily want to be challenged or informed. They want to
have their preconceptions confirmed and validated.”
According to Rosenson, political misinformation can
originate in other countries. One example of foreign political
interference via social media occured in 2016, when a
Macedonian teen, who requested to be named “Dimitri” in an
NBC article, posted false news.
“[Dimitri] didn't care who was benefiting,” Rosenson
said. “He got more hits on his stories when the stories were
anti-Clinton as opposed to anti-Trump. One of the stories he
Social media saturation takes growing toll
on physical, mental and civic well-being
ran had the headline ‘Breaking: Obama Confirms Refusal to
Leave White House, He Will Stay in Power.’ Fake news stories,
such as one saying the pope endorsed Donald Trump, came
not just from Russia but from individuals in other countries.
There is a lot of money to be made from the advertising and
traffic associated with fake news.”
According to Heidi Hatfield Edwards, professor and chair
of the communications program at Florida Institute of
Technology, political misinformation
can yield polarizing controversy.
“Even though there are scientific
guidelines and data out there, the
politicization of issues creates
problems when we make decisions,”
Edwards said. “If we don’t have the
right information, we may go down
the wrong path.”
According to Edwards, social-media
platforms maintain ever-changing
algorithms, intended to produce
content appealing to individual users.
And with twenty-four-seven direct
access to any topic or issue of interest, users remain captivated
by the glowing screen of their feed.
“[Social media] has certain characteristics that makes us
want to keep going back,” Edwards said. “We post something
so we want to see what people have liked. It gives us a little
bit of a high, when we see people are responding to us. It’s
interactive, so in that way people are able to engage with the
media, rather than passively being fed information. People
don’t always know who they are getting information from.
Something can go viral without anyone actually even reading
what is in the actual post.”
Independent fact checking organizations, such as Politifact
and Snopes can be used to expose incorrect allegations.
But these outlets do not help to purify the misinformation
spreading through social media.
“There is an infinite amount of information out there at
your fingertips,” Rosenson said. “The kind of gatekeeping
in the old days before the internet, where news outlets
were staffed by people with experience in journalism, is
over. Today, a lot of the people who share news have a very
partisan agenda and may have no commitment whatsoever to
providing accurate information.”
Identifying misinformation can require in-depth research.
“Individual citizens also need to take responsibility for
themselves and do the background research,” Rosenson said.
“Consume news from multiple sources. And if a story seems
outrageous, do the research.”
ILLUSTRATION / SOPHIA BAILLY
WESTSHOREROAR.COM / ROAR I 13