Some people post on open public social media as if nobody else besides the audience they have in mind is onlooking. So when they see some outrageous disinformation, for example, they might think it’s a sick burn to post something about some prominent foolish person posting on social media saying “Plandemic!” And perhaps most of their typical followers will share it and understand they’re making a sick burn mocking the item, never realizing that strangers who don’t know them, might see it as an endorsement of the idea. And then the post goes viral. Maybe because it’s being boosted by people who want to promote the “plandemic” idea. The opposition welcomes rivals who boost their visibility. And indeed, the idea is then reaching even more people as it goes viral, more people who are more likely to not understand it’s a sick burn, but see it as an endorsement. This is why it’s so important even when debunking to never lead with the lie. What’s worse is that once the tweet has gone viral, the person posting this is reluctant or flat out refuses to delete the viral post, even once it’s pointed out how they’re spreading misinformation. Their having a post go viral is just too intoxicating — they feel too important, they want to savour and luxuriate in the attention — for many it’s irresistible and the thrill is worth spreading misinformation, even if it might kill someone. They just put that out of their mind because the social media dopamine hit really does hold that much power over some people — and it could be anyone at any time manipulated by social media platforms that are designed to manipulate people this way. And sadly the person with the viral post often never accepts and acknowledges that they may have been used, because the bad actors who want the concept boosted, may actually be the ones who made it go viral in the first place. But now that YOU have this top of mind, you can be inoculated, and not make these embarrassing and dangerous errors going forward.
chloe kaczenski humbert