Do not let your emotions get you, confirm the information first!
Stating that the dissemination of intentional misleading information with the aim of creating social chaos is called disinformation, experts say that social media is very effective in this regard.
Pointing out that there are different reasons for believing in misleading content, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal stated that “The person can support the information shared without investigating its accuracy to reinforce the emotion one feels. Low level of digital literacy and the need to belong can also cause the spread of false information.” Emphasizing that it is necessary to first acquire the habit of confirming to prevent the spread of manipulative information, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal suggested that “If there is a habit of believing the first content we come across on a subject, it may be advisable to change this habit and not to overuse social media.”
Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal talked about social media posts that mislead the society and made explanations about how these posts spread.
Disinformation aims to create social chaos
Stating that posts on many issues that enter social media circulation spread quickly and can cause social chaos in a short time, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal expressed that “Posts generally serve the conflict of two views. The situation or person is either approved or subjected to lynching, which we also call the cancel culture because it is not approved.”
Pointing out that the rapid spread of content without verifying its accuracy, the inability to stop the spread of statements that contain misinformation, and the hate speech of polarized groups reveal the misinformation effects of social media on a social scale, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal stated that “Disinformation aims to deliberately mislead, and we can say that there are malicious posts as they are made with the aim of creating social chaos. Misinformation, on the other hand, refers to unintentional false news or information sharing. However, if it is deliberately shared for the purpose of misleading here by knowing that it is false, it may turn into a misinformation effect.”
Negative mood increases the spread of fake news
Stating that believing in misleading content is related to emotional state, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal expressed that “In order to reinforce the emotion people feel, one can support the information shared without investigating its accuracy. This situation happens more especially during periods of social chaos.”
Reminding that in times of crisis, fake (troll) accounts emerge that deliberately work to make the environment even more inextricable when the negative emotional atmosphere spreads, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal continued her remarks as follows:
“Suddenly, fake information and fake news are circulated by contributing to the negative mood and people can be agitated. Social networks have an aspect that serves emotional dissemination. For instance, according to research, content with a negative mood spreads 6 times faster than positive content and affects people. Nowadays, natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires and floods, combined with disinformation, mobilize the spread of negative moods and abuse. In such situations, polarization and hate speech on social media take the place of sharing common feelings and thoughts, which society needs, and building unity. This can lead to a delay in preventive actions to be taken in the event of a disaster, along with wrong interventions, and may also lead to an increase in the scale of the disaster.”
The desire for fast news causes the 'confirmation' step to be skipped!
Expressing that “Another explanation for believing in misleading content is the need to belong with a low level of digital literacy,” Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal stated that people's need to belong to a group and to believe in the content shared without confirming its accuracy in order to be approved and to be included in the chain of dissemination by interacting with it is also an example of problematic social media use.
Emphasizing that the most striking reason for believing misleading content is intolerance, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal stated that “Since it will take time to confirm the accuracy of the information or news shared, people with high levels of digital media literacy cannot apply what they know in most cases. In fact, this is one of the most tragic reasons. It is seen that people who want to fit many activities into a day, especially in urban life, believe the first news instead of confirming the information on social media, which they use as a quick news gathering channel. When awareness is combined with the need to get information in a hurry, confirmation can be bypassed.”
We should get into the habit of confirming information!
Stating that it is firstly necessary to be aware of the dangers that may arise in order to prevent the spread of false or manipulative information, Assoc. Prof. Aylin Tutgun Ünal concluded her remarks as follows: “It is necessary to know that social media has not only individual but also social effects in the big picture. Then, it may be recommended to include the habit of confirming more in times of social chaos, to pay attention to the account from which the post is made to protect against troll accounts and to give up the habit of believing the first content we come across on a subject and not to overuse social media.”
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)