Technology has enabled the spread of fake news, the creation of scandals and unfounded complaints, but it is not responsible for this. Desperately trying to get clicks, likes or multiply followers allows many owners or administrators of social networks or websites to fall into the temptation of publishing unverified information.
Last Saturday, Pope Francis, who received the Premio รจ Giornalismo award from the Italian press, asked to avoid disinformation, which he described as one of the four journalistic sins.
Anti-disinformation initiatives focus on analyzing social media posts and speeches by members of the assembly in Ecuador
In complex times for countries like Ecuador, where the pre-campaign for the second round of presidential elections is taking place – on October 15, after the cross of death and the assassination of the presidential candidate -, it is appropriate to put on the table a question that happens to mention the Pope. But it’s not just a matter of journalists, who can certainly be mesmerized by the possibility of becoming influencers. The use of social networks and technology in general is everyone’s responsibility, even users with less intention of uploading to the virtual fame platform, but who sometimes share posts from people they don’t know and without confirming the content from a third party.
Invitations to young people
There are four virtual sins that the Pope mentions: “Disinformation, when journalism does not inform or misinforms; defamation; slander, which is different, but destroys; and the fourth is coprophilia, the love of scandal and filth, because scandal sells”.
Unfortunately, the “sins” that the Pope warns about are also visible in other areas. Politics has become a cradle for many of them, even their personal life hardly violates anonymity on the networks.
It is up to everyone to act responsibly and use social networks ethically and transparently. Promoting in the virtual world a culture of truth, high-level discussion, kindness would do humanity a lot of good and avoid legal conflicts for multiple cybercrimes. (OR)
Source: Eluniverso
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
