Over the last few days two news pieces have come to my attention which have a similar theme: social media used to amplify wrong information.
In the first case the anti-smart meter folks have waged a Twitter misinformation rally, the likes I have not seen before. Referencing studies from the 1980s for 2011 technology; claiming something causes cancer where there is no proof to back up that claim; and writing outrageous “headlines” with a link to something that does not even connect with what they are saying.
This serves to – in the short term – bring attention to their cause. However, in the long term it will ultimately discredit their views.
On the BC Hydro side – the folks promoting smart meters – they REALLY need to get in front of these claims on the web and social media. Sure they have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section but it reads with the lively excitement of a a drunk guy slurring aloud from the phone book.
Where are the daily updates? Where are the links to supportive news stories? Where is the debunking.
As I learned from my well worn copy of “The War Room” by political consultant Warren Kinsella, when hit by lies / misinformation in public you hit back with the truth. And hit back hard. BC Hydro needs to do this now.
Of course on the interview I gave on CFAX radio I provided the solution to this problem (hint: hire Dave.ca).
The next piece had to do with the tragic murder of good Samaritan Surrey teen, Jamie Kehoe. Jamie attempted to break up a fight on a bus, had his throat slashed and died while the suspect ran off.
In the days that followed the description of the suspect made the rounds in the newspaper and then social media. Friends and acquaintances of Jamie started a Facebook group where a person was ID’d as the suspect and this person started receiving death threats etc. Problem was the ID was wrong. The wrongly ID’d man turned himself into Police to clear his name.
What should have happened was the description shared over traditional and social media with possible ID’s forwarded to Police to then investigate. This was what I did with CanucksRiot2011.com to ID the folks in the June 2011 Vancouver riots.
As we can see from these two examples social media is an incredible tool for passing on information quickly, efficiently and inexpensively. And if that information is wrong or out-and-out lies, the results could be dire.
Here is my CFAX interview:
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