The speed of light can be incomparable to other elements making it the most used when trying to illustrate how fast things can go. Well, welcome to the digital age where the speed of news might actually exceed the speed of light. We can be really thankful for having to live in a time like this, where we don't have to want for 3 working days to get our message across to the next person. All it take is just seconds, with a single tap, we can deliver messages and spread information to other people. With the right information, a lot of damages could be stopped or avoided but what about the wrong ones? What about spreading some fake news that could really be disastrous to the receiving end?
Quite recently, social media was abuzz with the spread of a shocking news: a popular, beloved Nigerian actor was reportedly confirmed dead. The actor in question earned the affection and respect of the general public through his year of dedication and outstanding performances in his career and suddenly news has it that he is no more? Popular blogs took over the story and started publishing articles that conveyed the same sad news, some even with a much more somber tone. The spread of the news brought an out pour of so much emotions from the general pubic in the comments sections. People sent their sympathies to the family and expressed how sad they were to hear such news, I mean who wouldn't be sad hearing someone of such nature had died?
Personally, the news was really sudden and shocking but not so unexpected because this actor is quite old and he retired a long time from his acting career. He was diagnosed with dementia in 2021 and had been battling the disease alongside his ever loving wife who had showed her unwavering support for her ailing husband. It was very touching to hear of the demise, I almost believed it immediately because of how much the news spread, and how much the popular blogs carried on with the story.
It can be such a twist that amidst the growing sadness and the somber aura that had filled the air, the family of this actor who had gotten their own share of the fake news, decided to act fast to correct the matter. Not so long after the news had already almost reached every corner of the social media, a home video was shared by the actor's family on the internet, showing the actor having his hair shaved by one of his sons. There was no sign of any emergency or even mourning by the family of the alleged deceased. The actor was well and alive and in fact, enjoying the company of his family. The video circulated as quickly as the fake one had spread, bringing a wash of relief and joy to the fans who were misled by the false news. Three days later after the matter had died down, the actor celebrated his 82nd birthday with his family.
Imagine the impact the fake news had on both the family and the general public. First there was an initial wave of shock and sadness but when the truth came to light, the relief also came and so did the frustration and anger.. People felt betrayed that even the trusted sources for information cannot be trusted anymore. The role social media has played in spreading information cannot be over looked. Content thirsty creators can take up random unverified news, restructure them to something believable and release them to the public just to gain engagements, while misleading everyone who had come across such news.
Bloggers on the other hand also have their own piece of the cake. Everyone just wants to be the first to break the news, true or not. This is saddening because they underestimate the emotional and fake psychological impact fake news can have on the people who come across them. A simple fact check can help to prevent the spread of false information that could have some significant harmful effects when it gets to the receivers end.
In conclusion, in as much as bloggers who keep us up to date with the happenings around the world wants to do their jobs, a little more professionalism is not too much to ask. We just want to get the right information because knowledge they say, is power but what if you get the wrong knowledge? Dangerous power isn't it? Knowing that social media or the internet at large is a very wide space that can be wild at times should help us to be on guard against fake news. Don't just swallow the hook, line and sinker, check the facts as well and most importantly, don't believe everything you see on the media.