Power of Credibility in the News and the Shift of It
Hopefully the picture above gave an insight into what this post is about while bringing some humor. Credibility is one of the top tools used in the news process. Once a TV station or anchor loses credibility, viewers lose trust in the channel. In today's age, social media and the internet in general has filled that void. However, credibility is lost when a news channel tells false information such as when did NBC Brian Williams anchor told viewers they were being fired missiles at while reporting in Iraq, while in reality there were none while he was reporting. Social media is a key contributor in being able to fact check the once powerful all mighty tv news companies as was the case with Brian Williams. I feel as if the social media companies of Facebook and Twitter have overtaken the overall credibility of news, bypassing the now becoming antiquated cable news. It should be noted that Elon Musk making the verification badge able to purchase significantly damages the credibility of Twitter. Not only Twitter but Meta (Facebook and Instagram) have also made the verification badge for sale. This not only damages their credibility but imposing a monthly fee of $12 USD a month for Instagram and Facebook gives those with disposable income a sense of "credibility". While there has been some outlash online about the monetary option to get a verification badge, I would say it hardly hurts the social media companies. Since hundreds of millions, even billions of people use the social media giants of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, their following is too big break up. They solidified their position in the communication field and looks like they are here to stay.
The difference between cable news and news on social media sites is that anyone on social media can post a story about whatever they want to. While it's good to gain insight into different perspectives on a topic, it is already a challenge for social media sites to remove disinformation about certain news stories. Thus, it leads to who's credible on social media? The cable news companies have expanded to Twitter and Facebook in an attempt to stay relevant in modern times of communication. The impact of social media becoming the main source of news for millions of people is that it depends on what the user wants to read/see. Lance Bennet in The Politics of Illusion addresses this concern by saying many observers find the individualization of selective news on social media has a chance to degrade collectiveness for public policy (Bennet 2016). While social media gives a chance for certain issues to be raised and talked about online expanding awareness, social media is designed to suit user's interests, thus limiting the exposure of certain issues being mass circulated online. Overall, specific social media platforms of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have overtaken the credibility of the mass media. The platforms allow for users to challenge reporters' credibility, as was the case of Brian Williams. Social media not only fosters political polarization, but they have also fostered what is deemed credible on their sites, having the option to ban certain posts, while at the same time, the credibility of social media platforms seems to be made out of Teflon.
Sources
Meta Verified | Get a Verified Blue Check on Instagram, Facebook | Meta
Picture 1: 1znmzl.jpg (306×240) (imgflip.com)
Picture 2: The News - Imgflip
W Lance Bennett. 2016. News : The Politics of Illusion. Chicago ; London: University Of Chicago Press.
I like your final statement that "the credibility of social media platforms seems to be made out of Teflon." These large social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have all been here for so long and are often integral parts of people's lives. It's hard to find someone that doesn't have an account on at least one of those platforms! As unfortunate as it is, the fact that they are embedded in the lives of billions means that they are able to do what they want. Although these platforms have been used for good by distributing information that was otherwise hidden by large corporations, these "for purchase" tags that used to be used to verify users are now useless. As you mentioned, these social media sites already struggle with managing misinformation, which worsens it, but we users will bear the consequences.
ReplyDeleteI agree that media in general is very hard to manage on social media because you have to answer the age old question, Is this true? There are so many accounts, and people out there that base their following on spreading lies or rumors. This negatively affects people because it is how misinformation is spread. Once it starts it spreads like wildfire. As if it wasn't hard enough to deem what was truth from lies, social media companies are now letting people purchase the verification of the blue checkmark. Now any one will be able to say they are verified so people will tend to believe them more.
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