As we all know, this past week has seen a flurry of disturbing executive actions signed by Trump (see below for the latest list). Additionally we still have all those confirmation hearings/votes to protest, the Affordable Care Act to protect, and a few other things that I can't think of right now. There are a lot of things in play right now. Whac-a-Mole Activism, if you will.
In the midst of this intense period of real actions that need to be taken, there are a lot of fake ones being promulgated. I noticed this past week that my social media feed started filling up with a lot of calls to action that appear to be intended to get progressive folks wound up and calling/emailing their reps over over issues in a way that isn't the most productive use of our time.
We know from the election that this is a tactic that is being used to distract us from the real issues and to waste our time and energy. But what can we do about it?
Step 1: Don't share until you've verified. When you see something outrageous pass through your social media feed, pause and think before you pass it along. The fake ones are always going to be marked URGENT. The bad guys are trying to get you to share it before you fact check. Our most effective tool to battle fake news/actions is to hold back from sharing.
Step 2: Fact check it. Do a quick internet search to see if it's legit. Snopes.com is doing a great job of debunking fake calls to action. You can also just copy some of the text and paste it into a search engine.
Step 3: Check the source. Ask the person who sent you the action if they know its origin. If there is a website or organization associated with the action, check it out for yourself. Is it from a source you've been following and trust?
Step 4: Crowd source the verification. There is no shame in not knowing if something is legit. Ask in the comments whether anyone can verify it. Or post it on your own feed with the question, ¨Can anyone verify whether this action is legit?¨
Step 5: Admit if you made a mistake. We've all done it. The jerks who are making these fake actions/news are really good at tricking us, and many/most progressives operate from a place of trusting in the good intentions of others. When you make a mistake and post something inaccurate, don't just delete it. Go back and edit your original post with the update. And if you see something false being shared on a friend's feed, let them know. There's ways to do this that don't need to make them feel bad. Tell them that you've made the same mistake. And if someone tells you that you posted fake news/actions, then thank them. The folks trying to trick us don't know how to combat our kindness to each other.
Step 6: Celebrate when you've debunked a fake action. Every time you successfully identify fake news/actions, you are taking a tool away from the Trump trolls. Every fake post you stop in its tracks is a victory for our side.
Over the next few days, I plan to post Yopps! that address this new Whac-a-Mole activism we're facing. If you want to engage in more direct action, there are plenty of things to do. Continue to call/write/email your members of Congress if that helps you stay engaged. I do that every morning as a ritual. They know we are out there and ready to respond at a moment's notice, so right now you can step back a little. Just stay engaged and be ready to respond.
Yours in Solidarity,
Kris
Some useful links:
Snopes.com This is the self-proclaimed "definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation." Snopes is pretty good most of the time, but not perfect.
Whac-a-Mole
Whac-a-Trump
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