By Nicole Kobie, Teen Vogue
Like other violent, horrific events before, the bombing at the Ariana Grande show in Manchester sent many of us to social media for information, solace, and an attempt to be useful.
[post_ads]Those in the area checked in with Facebook to alert friends we were safe, while others tried to help by retweeting missing person posts and calls to action, sharing where to go for a free hotel room and how to donate food, blood, or cash. Many expressed sympathy, grief, and solidarity — our thoughts are with the victims, #prayforManchester, and replacing profile photos with images of the city or "I (heart) MCR" designs.
Before social media and the internet, a violent event like a terror attack might spark us to get together in person to talk about it — and that still happens, as Mancunians gathered in their thousands in Albert Square today, as the rest of us gathered online. "Now we have this really great online space where you can find people who are trying to process the tragedy just like you are," said Dr. Jennifer Goldbeck, director of the Social Intelligence Lab and a professor at the University of Maryland. "That way of socializing can bring a lot of comfort and help us understand what we're feeling, just by talking about it."
Nicole Ellison, professor in the school of information at the University of Michigan, agreed, adding that alongside emotional support our need for information is high. "For some kinds of connections and information, social media is probably replacing other channels, such as a phone call or running out to buy a newspaper or watching the 6:30 TV news," she said. "Social media has probably changed how we respond but the basic human needs it meets — social connection and information — are the same."
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Now is not the time for trolling
But social media can be an enemy rather than an ally. While that's true all the time, it cuts deeper at times of crisis. Alongside expressions of empathy, the online response to the terror attack also saw trolls spreading fake missing person reports — shared by well-meaning tweeters and even news channels — as well as hate-inciting posts, and nasty jokes. An attempt at dark humor may help some cope, but perhaps better kept among friends than for all to see on social media.
"I think it's safe to say that there is a small percentage of the population who are true trolls and then a larger set of people who, under the right circumstances, may engage in hurtful behaviors that they wouldn't otherwise do," Ellison said. "The motivation for many is getting a reaction, and anger, fear, or hurt are easier emotions to trigger in others than more positive reactions such as admiration or hope. Dramatic events just make it easier to get a reaction, because people are already afraid and upset."
For the rest of us trying to be helpful in times of crisis, the desire to retweet every plea for assistance is understandable, but take the time to make sure they're real with a quick click through to the original account or dropping a picture into Google's reverse image search to see if it's really new. "Be a skeptical consumer of information," said Ellison. "Focus on reputable sources and fact check information before passing it on. Try to use social media in ways that are positive, such as sharing useful information or offering social support. Be especially wary of stereotyping and other reactions to fear that lead to uncivil and unproductive interactions."
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There's another reason to be wary of what you're sharing, as it may play into terrorists' plans, notes Zeynep Tufecki, an associate sociology professor at the University of North Carolina, and the author of a book about networked protest, in a post on BuzzFeed. She notes that ISIS and its followers are good at getting media attention — it's their goal, she said, as "ISIS is pursuing a deliberate strategy, one aimed to horrify the public so much that we go along with a set of irrational policies."
Instead, we should disrupt their media strategy, focusing on the victims rather than the killers. Thankfully, social media users have gotten wise to the fact that sharing pictures of violence and focusing on the murderers helps spread terror. "This time around, practically the only pictures of injured or dead people from the Manchester attack I saw were attached to tweets and videos from outlets like BBC and CNN," Tufecki noted. "The people are way ahead of mass media in understanding and countering this sick game of attention and horror. And it's time for mass media to catch up."
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Take a break
Take care of yourself, too. Research suggests social media can negatively impact your mental health and some of the pictures and videos posted after such events can be disturbing. Consider why you're online looking at eye-witness reports or graphic images. "Is this something that's helping me process and understand?" Dr. Goldbeck asked. "Is it something that's bringing me some comfort? Or is it something that I'm doing just to make myself feel worse?"
Dwelling in sadness can be helpful, and a good cry can help you process feelings. Dr. Goldbeck lived near the Pentagon in 2001, and said she watched and rewatched videos of the September 11 attacks, despite finding them deeply upsetting — but eventually had to force herself to stop it, as it wasn't helping her process her feelings about the attack.When you do need to take a break, there's a few steps you can take from a technical standpoint to stem the flow of terrifying images and horrific reports. On Twitter, you can choose in the "Privacy and Safety" settings to not see sensitive images by default or mute tweets containing certain words, helping to stem the flow if you feel overwhelmed. That said, you can also just close the app and talk to people you know about the tragedy, whether in person or on a messaging app if you find that easier. "Know your limits — sometimes it's best to turn off the devices and go for a walk or take a bath or find a baby to cuddle," said Ellison.
[post_ads]Those in the area checked in with Facebook to alert friends we were safe, while others tried to help by retweeting missing person posts and calls to action, sharing where to go for a free hotel room and how to donate food, blood, or cash. Many expressed sympathy, grief, and solidarity — our thoughts are with the victims, #prayforManchester, and replacing profile photos with images of the city or "I (heart) MCR" designs.
Before social media and the internet, a violent event like a terror attack might spark us to get together in person to talk about it — and that still happens, as Mancunians gathered in their thousands in Albert Square today, as the rest of us gathered online. "Now we have this really great online space where you can find people who are trying to process the tragedy just like you are," said Dr. Jennifer Goldbeck, director of the Social Intelligence Lab and a professor at the University of Maryland. "That way of socializing can bring a lot of comfort and help us understand what we're feeling, just by talking about it."
Nicole Ellison, professor in the school of information at the University of Michigan, agreed, adding that alongside emotional support our need for information is high. "For some kinds of connections and information, social media is probably replacing other channels, such as a phone call or running out to buy a newspaper or watching the 6:30 TV news," she said. "Social media has probably changed how we respond but the basic human needs it meets — social connection and information — are the same."
[post_ads_2]
Now is not the time for trolling
But social media can be an enemy rather than an ally. While that's true all the time, it cuts deeper at times of crisis. Alongside expressions of empathy, the online response to the terror attack also saw trolls spreading fake missing person reports — shared by well-meaning tweeters and even news channels — as well as hate-inciting posts, and nasty jokes. An attempt at dark humor may help some cope, but perhaps better kept among friends than for all to see on social media.
"I think it's safe to say that there is a small percentage of the population who are true trolls and then a larger set of people who, under the right circumstances, may engage in hurtful behaviors that they wouldn't otherwise do," Ellison said. "The motivation for many is getting a reaction, and anger, fear, or hurt are easier emotions to trigger in others than more positive reactions such as admiration or hope. Dramatic events just make it easier to get a reaction, because people are already afraid and upset."
For the rest of us trying to be helpful in times of crisis, the desire to retweet every plea for assistance is understandable, but take the time to make sure they're real with a quick click through to the original account or dropping a picture into Google's reverse image search to see if it's really new. "Be a skeptical consumer of information," said Ellison. "Focus on reputable sources and fact check information before passing it on. Try to use social media in ways that are positive, such as sharing useful information or offering social support. Be especially wary of stereotyping and other reactions to fear that lead to uncivil and unproductive interactions."
[post_ads_2]
There's another reason to be wary of what you're sharing, as it may play into terrorists' plans, notes Zeynep Tufecki, an associate sociology professor at the University of North Carolina, and the author of a book about networked protest, in a post on BuzzFeed. She notes that ISIS and its followers are good at getting media attention — it's their goal, she said, as "ISIS is pursuing a deliberate strategy, one aimed to horrify the public so much that we go along with a set of irrational policies."
Instead, we should disrupt their media strategy, focusing on the victims rather than the killers. Thankfully, social media users have gotten wise to the fact that sharing pictures of violence and focusing on the murderers helps spread terror. "This time around, practically the only pictures of injured or dead people from the Manchester attack I saw were attached to tweets and videos from outlets like BBC and CNN," Tufecki noted. "The people are way ahead of mass media in understanding and countering this sick game of attention and horror. And it's time for mass media to catch up."
[post_ads_2]
Take a break
Take care of yourself, too. Research suggests social media can negatively impact your mental health and some of the pictures and videos posted after such events can be disturbing. Consider why you're online looking at eye-witness reports or graphic images. "Is this something that's helping me process and understand?" Dr. Goldbeck asked. "Is it something that's bringing me some comfort? Or is it something that I'm doing just to make myself feel worse?"
Dwelling in sadness can be helpful, and a good cry can help you process feelings. Dr. Goldbeck lived near the Pentagon in 2001, and said she watched and rewatched videos of the September 11 attacks, despite finding them deeply upsetting — but eventually had to force herself to stop it, as it wasn't helping her process her feelings about the attack.When you do need to take a break, there's a few steps you can take from a technical standpoint to stem the flow of terrifying images and horrific reports. On Twitter, you can choose in the "Privacy and Safety" settings to not see sensitive images by default or mute tweets containing certain words, helping to stem the flow if you feel overwhelmed. That said, you can also just close the app and talk to people you know about the tragedy, whether in person or on a messaging app if you find that easier. "Know your limits — sometimes it's best to turn off the devices and go for a walk or take a bath or find a baby to cuddle," said Ellison.
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