My post last week was about how Twitter was beneficial during Hurricane Sandy. However, this week it is about how Twitter and social media has been a home to many fabrications, which was illustrated during Hurricane Sandy.
An article by Nick Bilton in the New York Times brings up the issue of lying. At some point in their lives, most people will lie about something. With social networking, however, lying is taken to an entirely different level because of the opportunity for a post to go viral.
During Hurricane Sandy, according to the article, a photo on Twitter was posted that looked exactly like a scene out of the movie “The Day After Tomorrow.” In addition to fabricated pictures, there is also a lot of room for hyperbolic language that makes many statements untrue. Some people believe that Twitter should be responsible for fabricated posts. I disagree, especially because it would be almost impossible to monitor.
On the other hand, just as quickly as an incorrect statement can be spread throughout social networks, it can just as quickly be shown that it is just that; incorrect. Due to the instantaneous nature of Twitter and other social media sites, it is very simple to correct an inaccuracy.
In my opinion, this just goes to show that it is always important to double check your sources on the Internet. Anyone can post anything, and in order to ensure that you are getting the correct information, be sure that you have a legitimate source.