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I’m Sending Out an S.O.S.
This attempt to save our souls is likely too long for social media consumption, so I’ll have to break it down into easily digestible chunks. Consider this The Introduction.
That’s right. Americans are drowning in a muddy swamp of misinformation. The social media ships, reeling in the choppy waters of conspiracy theories and fake news, keeled over and jettisoned half its passengers. This sodden assortment of jetsam is treading water without a lifejacket. The ships have tried to right their course and recover their passengers by flagging false news and misleading information. Yet, many refuse to accept the lifeline, preferring instead to float in the warm waters of disinformation. They refuse to acknowledge the peril of their situation.
The misinformation smothering social media is why we are in the state we are in today. This isn’t a revelation. Misinformation spread like wildfire during the 2016 presidential campaign. Many tech giants tossed unsubstantiated, crackpot conspiracy theories into the oubliette of fringe group creepers where they belong. Yet, they still rise to the surface on occasion. These theories are dangerous and result in destroyed lives, even deaths by those crazy enough to act upon them.
