“I pointed out that we do know. There are facts. .... The numbers show us a truth, but the social media bubbles confuse us," said Sarah Wildes, a science and technology teacher at Sparkman Middle School in Toney, #Alabama. #alpolitics https://t.co/eQzAfxsp08
— Jeremy Gray (@jgray78) September 6, 2021
Most everyone agrees that Fake News, misinformation, disinformation, etc., is a burgeoning big problem (the "Big Problem") for the United States and its politics and governance.
A key element in this discussion is how big is the Big Problem, and how important is it to lessen the Big Problem
Much of the Big Problem is attributed to Big Tech and its social media creations.
Probably only Congress and the Federal government can apply force directly against Big Tech to try to effectuate changes that will lessen the Big Problem. Individual states may try to apply force directly against Big Tech (and Alabama is one such state), but there is can be only small hope for any effectiveness.
Many American citizens are greatly troubled by the Big Problem. Most of these citizens, however, are likely resigned that there is nothing they can do about it, and they are not trying to do anything.
In What AL can do about Big Tech, I said this about what citizens can do.
I think the generic candle that citizens can light is in your own actions, conduct and words, and wherever those interface with other citizens, you endeavor to apply your own brain and your own reason to try to determine what is truth and facts. This includes ample engagement with other citizens who are endeavoring to do the same, with a view to reaching agreement about what is truth and facts.
Besides citizens there are other actors in Alabama who are relevant to the Big Problem and are more significant than individual citizens, because these other actors have a bigger audience which they can affect relative to the Big Problem. These include Alabama's elected officials and other politicians, Alabama TV stations and reporters, radio talk shows, print and digital political news media and commentators, and Republican and Democrat party organizations.
These other actors have a mixed commitment to truth and facts and some of them have a political agenda that is better served by not purveying truth and facts.
Alabama citizens and other actors in favor of truth and facts being purveyed and acted on by Alabamians are very puny in trying to counter the force and power of Big Tech and it social media creations that provide for purveying and consuming of misinformation and disinformation.
In their puniness, those Alabama citizens and other Alabama actors who favor truth and facts need to exert themselves mightily.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Every AL TV station newsroom should ask itself, "How big is the Big Problem; how powerfully does our journalistic commitment to truth and facts motivate us to try to counter the pernicious effect in Alabama of Big Tech and its social media creations: and what can we do to try to contribute to countering such pernicious effect in Alabama?" A start would be an editorial statement that is regularly made on its news shows about the Big Problem and the importance of Alabamians endeavoring to counter the pernicious effect in Alabama of Big Tech and its social media creations. This editorial statement could be coupled with a solicitation of viewers to submit suggestions.
What are @ALBroadcasters doing to battle QAnon in Alabama? @SharonTinsleyAL @stanpylant https://t.co/PStxiuUlKR#alpolitics
— Rob Shattuck (@RobShattuckAL06) September 7, 2021
[to be continued]
See alsoObstructing prevention of preventable deaths, September 15, 2021
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