SOCIAL MEDIA: Be honestly informed

Is social media the achievement of our lifetime or the bane of our existence? If used properly it keeps us updated with family, friends and news events. It can be an extreme irritant when used as described in the Coeur d’Alene Press editorial on Aug. 13.

We see a post on social media and comment without knowing the source or writer. It may be completely false, half true, who cares if we want to believe it. No one says you’re wrong, refers you to the correct info elsewhere, none of that. Perhaps you know it’s not true but comment on the stupidity or lack of truth.

The more serious problem is that the algorithms don’t care. Comments and likes elevate the post within social media. More comments, more likes, more postings, more views, more ads and more money to social media outlets. Now you are determined to be a person interested in this topic. The algorithms remember you, what you viewed and arranges for you to receive an onslaught of similar postings. If the original post was false, vile, deceptive, you are set to receive similar unsolicited posts.

You should realize you’ve been targeted by an algorithm to receive similar material to the point where social media is controlling what you receive. No page we can turn, no journalist advising, just info piling on. Either we must constantly hit the delete button or not. The editorial quoted a comedian who said, “you can’t fix stupid,” but we must decide to stop piling fake or false info into our social media sites. Traditional News media matters and we all should support it. Try to be honestly informed.

PHIL WARD

Coeur d’Alene