This week in class, we will be doing another EOTO (Each One Teach One) group project. The set of concepts my group has been assigned is in the topic of mediasphere. I have chosen the concept confirmation bias from the list. I was drawn to this concept confidently and fairly quickly due to a lecture we had in class recently regarding the news content presented to us via various mediums. The idea of news and where we get our news from has been on my mind and has definitely peaked my interest. A simple definition of what a reliable source is that really resonated with me, given to me by Dean Smith, is "in a position to know the truth who has no motive to lie." A more complex definition that I found through my research that works to provide the same meaning with perhaps a little more explanation defines a reliable source as "one that provides a thorough, well-reasoned theory, argument, discussion, etc. based on strong evidence." This provides some background that reliable sources will include mediums that are filtered and monitored, such as peer reviewed scholarly articles and regulated news channels.
What worries me the most about unregulated sources of news, such as social media platforms, is that the Reuters Institute research study found that 51% of people use social media as a news source. This is dangerous to a society because it allows for the flow of misinformation to enter the minds of citizens. When it comes to aspects such as voting, misinformation individuals may have becomes dangerous. It is dangerous to the future and well-being of all, making misinformation something that can easily infect an entire society. Once one person reads something unreliable, hoaxes and rumors start and it is no secret that those spread like wildfire. When something becomes viral, it is hard to undo its effects in the same amount of time. It is much easier to prevent the fire from ever starting, but with over half of the population turning to unregulated sources of news and potentially coming in contact with misinformation, who knows how to control that kind of potential burn.
What worries me the most about unregulated sources of news, such as social media platforms, is that the Reuters Institute research study found that 51% of people use social media as a news source. This is dangerous to a society because it allows for the flow of misinformation to enter the minds of citizens. When it comes to aspects such as voting, misinformation individuals may have becomes dangerous. It is dangerous to the future and well-being of all, making misinformation something that can easily infect an entire society. Once one person reads something unreliable, hoaxes and rumors start and it is no secret that those spread like wildfire. When something becomes viral, it is hard to undo its effects in the same amount of time. It is much easier to prevent the fire from ever starting, but with over half of the population turning to unregulated sources of news and potentially coming in contact with misinformation, who knows how to control that kind of potential burn.
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