Social Media and Blogging During a Crisis
I’m writing this during the Coronavirus pandemic but what I’m going to talk about is relevant during any major crisis.
As I have spent time on social media, mostly Facebook and Twitter, during this past week, I have noticed something. Almost everything that was shared was either very discouraging or very encouraging. Not much in the middle.
How do we know what we should share or write about during a crisis? First, keep it true. There is a lot of misinformation going around right now. If you are not sure, don’t share it. Check the website that the information comes from. Is it generally respected?
True and fake news are different categories than encouraging or discouraging posts. True news can be discouraging (the death toll in Italy) and fake news can be encouraging (COVID-19 is not a major health concern) can be encouraging.
Our first priority should be the truth. But consider the effect of sharing twenty-five really depressing stories, even if they are true, all in one day.
We need to be asking what we want as the end state of people reading our blog of social media feed. They should be both informed and be encouraged.
So share the hard stuff, especially if their response can result in a better situation. But also look for positive things to share. Don’t leave people in despair. Give them hope. Just make sure it is hope based in truth.
What we share on our blog or social media will have an effect on people. We have a responsibility to share in thoughtful and compassionate way.
