The niche of the Internet known as social media has definitely changed the way we communicate. It's a great way to spread information quickly over a wide territory to a large number of people.
There's even a name for the phenomenon, which is ironic considering how news about COVID-19 dominates the headlines these days. When a social media post spreads rapidly, it's called "going viral."
There's a downside to this. Information can spread rapidly, but misinformation spreads just as rapidly. And given the proven biases inherent in the fact-checkers social media outlets use, there's no way to trust when a social media platform tells you something is true or false.
One example of a popular falsehood that spreads on social media is a long-running post that a handful of states have instituted drug-testing requirements for public benefits -- a/k/a welfare -- recipients. Kentucky's always listed as one of those states.
Of course, this isn't true. Kentucky has never required recipients of SNAP, AFDC, WIC, or any other alphabet-soup benefits program to pass a drug test to get those benefits, despite a number of people who would love to see that happen. What makes the whole situation worse is that many Kentuckians, who should know better, share the information on social media.
The proliferation of fake news sites doesn't help. And we're not talking about the agenda-driven mainstream outlets we all know and loathe (New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, the big-three networks, MSNBC, etc.) Nor is this about popular satire sites like The Online, DuffelBlog (a military news statire site), or Babylon Bee. The best satire has just enough truth in it to be believeable. Items from sources like BustATroll, TatersGonnaTate, PoliticusUSA, and others that are clearly made up of whole cloth get passed around as legitimate stories, and people believe them.
No social media platform is immune to this. In this regard, the Internet is something of a cesspool. But Twitter is the worst source of all. If Facebook is a septic tank, Twitter is an open sewer. It's like the big splotch of bird poop that lands on your windshield if you park under a tree.
Rush Limbaugh frequently voices his disdain for Twitter. As usual, his opinions are spot-on.
Rush Limbaugh frequently voices his disdain for Twitter. As usual, his opinions are spot-on.
Twitter's problem is rampant toxic anonymity. Anyone can create an account there and spew whatever nonsense they want, without having their real name attached to it. This leads to all sorts of wild and vile garbage being posted that has not a shred of truth behind it. Yet the peddlers of falsehoods can romp unchecked, ruining reputations of individuals and businesses, as the lies and libels trend on Twitter.
Remember the abject ignorance from a couple of weeks ago, when people actually started believing Wayfair was selling abducted children for five-figure dollar amounts? That got started on Twitter.
Or this past weekend, when President Trump replaced Brad Parscale as his campaign manager, and the rumor mill started that Parscale was having an affair with Hope Hicks? That the two of them had been spotted "canoodling" at a popular D.C. restaurant, and Trump fired Parscale because he was jealous? Again, thank -- or blame -- the little blue bird for that foolishness.
One of the most egregious examples in recent Kentucky history concerned former Gov. Matt Bevin. For weeks, a number of his critics -- mostly people associated with the KY 120 United activist group, not content with the fact that he's no longer governor -- spread a lie that Bevin had been having an affair with a former staffer who'd gone to work for the Trump administration, and had gotten her pregnant. The lie even went so far as to suggest Bevin had bought a house for her when she left D.C. and returned to Kentucky. An anonymous Twit calling himself or herself KyPolJunkie then tweeted that it had credible evidence of this and the story would be breaking. This prompted both Bevin and his wife to respond that the allegations were untrue, which then prompted a Courier-Journal story -- not on the veracity of the accusations, but the fact that they had been made and the ex-governor had responded on Twitter. There's still been no proof that the rumors are true, but they still float to the surface like the infamous Baby Ruth candy bar in Caddyshack when someone wants to get in a dig at Bevin.
It's shameful, really. While many whine and cry about Trump's tweets, wanting him censored or censured for his statements and opinions, they stand idly by while blatant untruths are spread. They don't care that lives and livelihoods are being assaulted through vicious rumors, fueled by malice. It's all a game to them.
The platforms are immune from damages. A court recently threw out a lawsuit by Congressman Devin Nunes against Twitter. The suit claimed Twitter allowed anonymous accounts to defame him. Nunes could sue the individual accounts, but that's a long, convoluted process. He'd have to file a "John Doe" lawsuit and then subpoena Twitter for IP addresses used by the anonymous posters, then subpoena the Internet service providers for details about the users who posted from those IP addresses. That tactic worked several years ago in a suit against an anonymous poster on the new-defunct infamous gossip site Topix, but there are so many hoops to jump through that it's a cumbersome and burdensome process.
Why spread rumors and lies if you can't vouch for their accuracy? Why make or repeat scurrilous allegations if you can't prove them? To do so shows a complete lack of integrity, character, and intellectual honesty.
In the meantime, use whatever mechanisms Twitter has to report falsehoods if you're a user of the platform and see something questionable. Facebook has plenty of options; Twitter not so many. It's what makes Twitter a much less pleasant environment.
And be sure to bathe thoroughly anytime you wade through the Twitter swamp. Reliable sources indicate it's infested with fecal coliform bacteria.
