The fact of the matter is that I do believe that disinformation is becoming more rampant. Due to technological advances within society, especially when social media came into play, it has become way easier for someone to spread information without being completely knowledgeable on the subject. Fifty years ago false statements would be spread but they would be closed off within the town and not spread out further than that area. However, with social media being interacted by people all over the world a small fib that started in a small town in Wyoming would be heard somewhere in Australia.
I would say that disinformation has become more rampant because there is very limited control over what people post on the internet. Especially in this new generation where most people either make posts or updates on social media just to gain “clout” or popularity in an attempt to stand out among others. One example would be individuals coming up with ways to cure COVID-19 and posting their so-called cures without consulting with medical professionals or even trying the cure themselves. Another example would be people on social media platforms such as Facebook who were big on hosting individuals stating their opinions regarding COVID-19. The said individuals would go against the CDC mandates of masking up and socially distancing themselves in order to prevent the virus from spreading and would then go on to encourage others to do the same to stand up against the government.
Before the internet when government organizations issued new protocols regarding the crisis at hand no one went against it. Not too many individuals argued against this because they trusted the facts, without that one person spreading lies and causing self-doubt within the community.
Having read this week’s lectures, it was clear how disinformation has not been contained and how lies can have serious consequences. Due to social media’s accessibility, disinformation has become more rampant because everyone can access it. It may be that they are motivated by malice and want someone to be harmed by the consequence of the situation or that they are ignorant of the subject they are writing about. As disinformation spreads, it would be necessary to follow up with other sources to obtain the best possible answer.
