Should Social Media shut down Conspiracy Theories?

[Emergent, RN]

I understand that private entities can control what speech is put on their media. But is that a wise idea not to air alternative points of view on huge powerhouses such as Youtube, facebook, Twitter Etc?

I'm thinking specifically of this Plandemic lady. I, personally, have not viewed her video. I'm not interested in her particular point of view. I have never felt the need to investigate every conspiracy theory out there.

I do think there is a lot of paranoia in sothat might be well earned. Social media such as facebook and Youtube wield enormous power and influence over public opinion.

The government has pulled a lot of sneaky tricks on the public over the years. I don't trust them. I also don't trust the Chinese government.

I don't trust large pharmaceutical companies or the mega-corporations. Their lust for money, power and influence is insatiable.

Should we give social media giants, who practically hold monopolies on the public form, the abilities to shut down conspiracy theories? I'll bet there are some true ones out there.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

As private entities, it is not up to us to "give social media giants ... the abilities to shut down conspiracy theories". However, I do like that FB will provide fact checking immediately below posts that have been deemed false information. It can still be seen, but the countering viewpoint is also presented.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Only social media I participate in is Allnurses. Keeps me sane and allows me to post accurate medical and nursing info to help fellow nurses, nursing + healthcare students and global viewers.

Social media websites need to FOLLOW and ENFORCE their Terms of Service (TOS) like we do here. That would eliminate large portion of false information floating around. Websites lack of enforcement will lead to their downfall when members no longer respect sites Moderating staff nor info being posted.

[toomuchbaloney]

6 minutes ago, Rose_Queen said:

As private entities, it is not up to us to "give social media giants ... the abilities to shut down conspiracy theories". However, I do like that FB will provide fact checking immediately below posts that have been deemed false information. It can still be seen, but the countering viewpoint is also presented.

Your first sentence was what immediately sprang to my mind as well. Every media outlet, no matter the format, gets to decide for themselves if they will promote or allow misinformation from their platform. It is nice if propaganda is immediately flagged so that many won't even waste their time.

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

ALLNURSES.COM and ALLNURSES BREAK ROOM are my only social media. I sometimes read Twitter or other sites, but haven't joined or posted with one exception.

Once a friend of my sister once told me she had hired a trainer and a dietitian to help her lose the > 100 pounds because she had been diagnosed with diabetes.

About a year later I joined facebook. A few hours later I looked at my page to see a selfie of that woman in her underwear in the bathroom. She looked great, but the turd in her toilet did not. I quit facebook STAT! I don't want to have to learn all the ways to prevent something like that so do not need other social media.

PS: I explained it to her. She said she just got so excited to see herself looking so good. After we talked my sister took her picture in a bathing suit in front of a palm tree for HER page.

[guest1068029]

The more I see them shutting down those types of videos, the more I see that they are trying to hide information that might be actually true. Sort of like the Nazis did with their socialist views by using fear tactics and burning information of different viewpoints, but now you see it going on in the present with social media platforms who promote socialist views and try to skew information (AKA editing old coronavirus articles, or deleting them). Except, social media sites like to use their so-called "fact checks" which is just a bias statement against a differing view point from a checker who is of the left side unfortunately. People are easy to control with fear, since nobody wants to free their mind and think for themselves anymore nowadays since they either fear conflict or just want to be in the "crowd" and not a labeled outsider. I suppose history repeats itself.

But, it is their site and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. I personally don't have any social media besides here and Instagram. I barely go on Youtube at all anymore.

[toomuchbaloney]

"Might actually be true"

Nah...most of it is crazy pseudoscience and conspiracy theory designed to suck in the gullible. Plandemic for example.

[Guest219794]

It is a balancing act.

Most people would agree that that not all content should be allowed.

For example, if a person self identifying as a doctor put out a video explaining that 12 grams of tylenol a day would prevent Covid, most people would agree that that should be removed. At a certain point, giving a public forum to an alternate opinion is irresponsible.

I don't have an opinion as to how deadly this particular video was, and whether it should meet the threshold I I haven't seen it.

But, by all reliable accounts, this alternate opinion was very wrong, and potentially harmful.

[guest1068029]

"designed to suck in the gullible."

You could say the gullible are the ones that believe in the government and mainstream media, who are not knowledgeable of Microbiology or medicine? People who actually think the government gives a damn about us? Even doctors say that the pandemic is fake, yet they get silenced by social media. Isn't it a coincidence the mainstream media are scared of the conspiracies against the very old coronavirus? And seems to be a huge division between the belief between both major political parties. Cash grab and power grab off the pawns.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

On 5/8/2020 at 6:31 PM, Rose_Queen said:

However, I do like that FB will provide fact checking immediately below posts that have been deemed false information. It can still be seen, but the countering viewpoint is also presented.

Their fact checking is not always correct, though, so I don't always trust when I see that caveat note. Case in point, I attended a gathering late last year in another state, I heard and recorded a certain element-it was political ranting. Something was posted referencing it, and FB posted that this was false and a rumor, etc. I can attest to the fact that I stood there, heard it 100%, and knew that the comment was made. This has made me leery of social media and their statements

[Daisy4RN]

I guess the question is who decides what is a conspiracy theory, what is hate speech, who is the fact checker etc. I think that these entities wield way too much power and control over content that they choose or choose not to post. I also am very leery of social media and their statements.

[toomuchbaloney]

8 hours ago, Yokohama said:

"designed to suck in the gullible."

You could say the gullible are the ones that believe in the government and mainstream media, who are not knowledgeable of Microbiology or medicine? People who actually think the government gives a damn about us? Even doctors say that the pandemic is fake, yet they get silenced by social media. Isn't it a coincidence the mainstream media are scared of the conspiracies against the very old coronavirus? And seems to be a huge division between the belief between both major political parties. Cash grab and power grab off the pawns.

Nonsense.

The pandemic is not fake. You've destroyed your credibility.

1 hour ago, Daisy4RN said:

I guess the question is who decides what is a conspiracy theory, what is hate speech, who is the fact checker etc. I think that these entities wield way too much power and control over content that they choose or choose not to post. I also am very leery of social media and their statements.

Fact checkers wield zero power, as evidenced by the abundance of garbage readily available and believed by gullible people.