Social Media Users

A Smarter Social Media User Wanted

No New School, All Schools for His Training

By Enrique Castejon-Lara

© ECL, 2021

@ECastejonL

Abstract:

Intentionally or not, social media users have become a disruptive factor in the news broadcasting system by echoing fake news, manipulated messages and propaganda. For this reason, some sectors of the political and academic areas have suggested the establishment of control mechanisms, the first ones, and a special training, the others.

Historically, technology has provide wonderful tools to improve journalism practice and, at the same time, to impulse the development of mass media, specially since the second half of the XX century. All that progress meant a huge support for the news system establishment. And it looked good enough for every one until, at the end of that century, appeared Internet changing, in a remarkable way, the current information panorama, specially after the naive and cute social media emergency. For the first time in mass communication history, a new player without experience nor adequate training, broke in the regular news broadcast system all around the world.

As it happened at the middle of XX century with journalists, some mass communication experts and academics have suggest the creation of special courses to train social media user. However, the circumstances are quite different. News reporters work for self controlled (and public audit) mass media. Users of chatting applications are totally free to work on them. It is their right. To try control them directly or by government restrictions is a clear violation of a basic human right.

Only in the case of the amateur radio operator, Ham, who become very popular in the first half of the last century, it was necessary to establish rules and limitations. But, that situation was, also, special. No everybody had the money to buy a short wave radio nor a lot of people liked to use such devices. Hams are, indeed, very particular “communicators” and they understand clearly their specific rol and social compromising.

Nevertheless, it is true that social media users are disturbing the entire news broadcast system allowing and promoting the diffusion of fake news, manipulated information and propaganda. So, what can it be do? Democratically, the only way that look possible is the generalized training of people through the regular education system, introducing new subjects in existing civic awareness or ethics classes. Of course, this is a long term and relative solution. Not all people who receive civic and moral instruction act responsibly. But, the beginning is waiting for.

References:

Castejon-Lara, Enrique. Fake News Conspiracy: Use of Information Anarchy of Social Media to Siege Press. Kindle Direct Publishing, 2019.

Pember, Don R. Mass Media in America. Macmillan Pub Co, 1991.