Lemur Check That Source...

In today’s world of open communication platforms it’s important to be wary when faced with new information in a field that you aren’t an expert in.

Something new that I learned today through social media is that it’s possible that lemurs have distinct personalities (hence my lame pun in the title). I found this little tidbit while browsing National Geographic’s Twitter account:

The link in the tweet led me to an article on National Geographic's website, where I got to read all about a study that was conducted to see if lemurs have individual personalities.

Now, am I an expert on lemurs? No. Do I expect an article published through National Geographic to have their facts correct? Yes. This is because National Geographic has a reputation to uphold in the journalism community; they have established that they are a reliable source and therefore would not want to risk losing credibility by publishing incorrect information.

While I trust National Geographic's information on lemurs, it would be possible for nearly anyone to tweet a false fact about the creatures. This is why I tend to put more trust in tweets or Facebook posts that share a link to a reliable source that supports the point being made. The article that I read included the author's name, details about the studies conducted, and a link to the author's personal Twitter account as well as the National Geographic Twitter. These types of clear connections and transparency regarding the author make me believe that the article is giving valid information.

With an overwhelming amount of information available online, people need to be careful with what they believe and what they disregard. It is important to look for the sources of stories and not just accept information as you find it through social media. 

Can some facts and ideas found in tweets or posts be true? Of course. But as an educated audience we need to look for the support that should go along with claims made online.

Influence of the Media

Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn—Oh my!

With so many different forms of social media available how are people to choose which to utilize and which to ignore?

Personally, I like to explore as many social networking sites as possible because I think that each platform allows for different types of communication and relationships. Where my LinkedIn account is strictly professional and networking focused, my Facebook page is for keeping my friends and family updated on my newest adventures. I enjoy using multiple sites daily to gather different types of information; from managerial tips to what my college roommates are up to.

One site that I primarily use to stay informed of current events is Twitter. I follow different news and media outlets so that I can get important updates as soon as they are available. I found Twitter especially useful after the bombings at the Boston Marathon. Having friends and family in that area as those events unfolded was terrifying, but I found solace in following the constant tweets that news sources were posting. Knowing that I was getting the freshest information at the fastest speed gave me piece of mind, and having the ability to check for updates from my phone allowed me to be connected no matter where I was.

I think that having critical information available quickly is a big asset of social media sites, but people also need to be aware of the sources of that information. Knowing that each form of social media targets specific audiences and their needs can help to determine where to turn for updates. If you want to learn about current events, check out CNN’s Twitter; and if you want to know what your cousin in a different state has been doing, you can look at their Facebook page. I enjoy having access to so many different sources of information, and I think that having the types of updates broken into categories by the social networking sites helps to meet the needs of specific audiences.