After the assassination attempt on Republican candidate Donald Trump, social media rumors quickly transformed into conspiracy theories from both sides of the political spectrum.
Discerning fact from fiction will continue to be a challenge as the spread of misinformation and disinformation shifts into high gear in the months leading up to the general election.
Sarah Roberts, professor of information studies, and an expert on social media, artificial intelligence, and author of “Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media“ says to take a moment before reposting.
“Breathe. Resist the urge to immediately repost. Consider the source of what you’re reading or viewing. Find out if established news outlets are confirming what you’ve seen. Are you adding to, or detracting from, the health of the conversation?”
Roberts also says to remember to step away from the keyboard and put the phone down from time to time and to take care of yourself and others.