Social media acts as a virtual soapbox for all of us to express and share our ideas, engage in conversations, and understand how exactly to curate content for a critical public audience. The benefits of social media are plenty, but there are just as many risks to consider and plan for while creating.
The benefits include fostering great connections, amplifying our message or viewpoint, and gaining insight from those with different perspectives. At the same time, the risks–especially for public servants– are equally as important. When we are misinterpreted or misrepresented, it has an impact on our reputation, credibility, and the trust in us, held by the general public. As a lawyer, if you give the wrong information, you can charged in court, while arguing in court. As a teacher, giving misinformation or being misinterpreted can lead to tons of the public in your local community to distrust you, and give up faith in your abilities–despite your accomplishments.
When addressing negative replies, always start from an empathetic Point of View. If you start yelling at your critics telling them why they’re wrong, and why you’re right, they will turn into a brick wall immediately, incapable of absorbing your points. When you start from an empathetic POV, you recognize either, why what you said/did influenced critics to think that way, or you take accountability and serve consequences for your actions. You don’t make excuses, or get overly angry or frustrated. Instead, you give reasoning and clarity, accept the consequences, and give the critics a reason to regain confidence in you.
Conflict can come up as a result of poor media literacy because people are viewing content without considering credibility or bias. Because of this, they’re blending their own views with misinformation to form a supermisinformed idea in their head, which they believe is true. Honestly, if I didn’t understand credibility or bias, I would probably be filled head to toe with supermisinformation. When you see this happen and attack the person spewing misinformed ideas, they will naturally become defensive and shut down any point you bring up. Make sure you start these conversations by humanizing the person you’re talking to. Tell them why it makes sense they would think that way, and respectfully explain why it’s misinformation. Offer them sources and reasons to believe why they should believe the correct information, and make sure to give them space to think it out.
