Let me go ahead and offer up what is probably the understatement of a lifetime: Social media has changed our world forever.

But the big question is this: Have these changes been positive or negative?

Finding that answer is far more difficult and likely depends on your perspective.

Social media has certainly altered how we interact with one another and how we stay connected and in tune with our friends, family and community. Because it allows information to be disseminated faster than ever before, it has also changed how we get “news” and even what we consider facts.

While not nearly as savvy with social networks as many of my colleagues, I do use Facebook and — to a much lesser degree — Twitter.

You won’t see lots of political statements or religious commentary on my feeds. For me, social media is primarily a way to brag about my children, root on my favorite sports teams and have a window into my friends’ lives.

Mostly, this seems harmless and is arguably not a bad use of the media.

It was certainly eye opening recently when I went to my wife’s 20 year high school reunion. There really weren’t many surprises at all. I knew what was going on in many of the individuals’ lives because of Facebook.

I am pretty sure previous generations walked through those reunion doors not knowing exactly what to expect.

But where I think social media has become very dangerous is the view that everything posted is the gospel truth. Hardly a week goes by that there isn’t a celebrity death hoax, completely fabricated news post coming from the site that looks legitimate or politically slanted propaganda that doesn’t let the facts get in the way of an agenda.

It is clear by the comments that millions of Americans seem to be oblivious to the fact that much of the “news” is certainly not unbiased.

This hits especially close to home for myself and other journalists who take great pride in fair and objective news reporting that centers on the truth.

Facebook and social media also serve as a breeding ground for negativity, bullying and just general incivility toward one another. If you aren’t careful, someone else’s bad attitude can impact your day.

My approach is to take everything I see on social media with a grain of salt, otherwise I may end up swallowing a lot more than I bargained.

 

Michael Caldwell is the publisher of Leader Publications LLC. He can be reached at (269) 687-7700 or by email at mike.caldwell@leaderpub.com.