How to Spot Misinformation During George Floyd Protests
Over the past few days, as the protests against the brutal death of George Floyd have spread across the country, social media has been an essential tool for keeping up with news in real time, as users post video and live updates. But with this surge in citizen journalism comes a wave of false information, too.
“When the country’s on edge and there’s a lot happening, anything that is unusual or will grab attention will go viral very quickly,” says Syracuse University assistant professor of communications Jennifer Grygiel. “And unfortunately untrue stories can be even more out-there and outlandish and concerning and can go viral faster than the truth.” This means all social media users have a responsibility to keep an eye out for falsities circulating as the truth on Twitter and other platforms, and to think before they share.
“People need to realize their own account is a tool and when you’re sharing content you’re giving your audience to somebody else,” says Darren Linvill, associate professor of communication at Clemson University. “Even if 90 times out of 100 that account is real and genuine, you need to think twice before sharing your audience with them because you’re giving them power by doing that.” Rolling Stone culled together pointers from various misinformation experts to help you differentiate between the truth and fiction on social media.
1. Use photo sourcing tools
Over the past few days, a number of photos purporting to capture the aftermath of the protests have gone viral, such as this image of a blaze being set next to the Washington Monument (which was actually a screengrab from the TV show Designated Survivor), or a video claiming to show a car driving through the Mall of America (which was actually recorded last year at a mall in Illinois). Because there is so much footage of the protests that is both shocking and legitimate, people can be easily duped into sharing similar-looking content without verifying its origins. If you’re tempted to share a post containing a shocking or dramatic image, reverse image search tools such as TinEye can help you track the URL to see whether it has appeared anywhere else online. Similarly, look for clues in the images that indicate where and when it’s happening like street signs or other location details, time of day and weather.
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https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/misinformation-facebook-george-floyd-protest-1008909/
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