Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Anti Social: An editor’s plea for virtual peace

So long, Chuck.

Give my regards to Jim and Elaine and Paul. You were never real friends anyway—hadn’t seen you since high school.

Increasingly, I’ve been purging my social media accounts of toxic people—or, at least, people who use technology for toxic purposes. Occasionally, I’ll delete them entirely, though more often I “unfollow” them, which is the digital equivalent of putting my fingers in my ears and chanting, “la, la, la.”

Have a political opinion you just have to share? Want to air another grievance? Posting one more conspiracy theory or flimsy allegation?

Sorry, I’m no longer part of your little captive audience.

Since social media reared its head, I’ve been a reluctant user. I joined Facebook about 15 years ago after my niece repeatedly urged me to. I signed up with Twitter when we launched TheBurg in 2008; ditto Instagram.

Honestly, if it weren’t for my job, I would remove myself entirely from all these platforms. Sure, I would lose a little bit of information, but I’d find something else—more inner peace. I might even pick up the telephone and speak to people more often.

1870s technology? Dial me in.

Social media, of course, didn’t start out as the 10-headed monster it’s become. It seemed rather benign at first, with the potential to even improve our lives and our links to loved ones.

However, millions of privacy breaches, billions of lies, trillions of smears, many violent riots and a few actual genocides later, even the social media giants have come to realize that they have a huge problem on their hands.

Instead of bringing out the best in our nature, social media often has brought out the worst. Or, maybe more fittingly, people with ill intent have hijacked it, discovering a shockingly ill-informed and incurious populace vulnerable to believing just about anything.

But what does this have to do with the usual subject of my monthly column—our fair, shared city of Harrisburg?

Unfortunately, Harrisburg is not immune from this pestilence. Several well-followed groups, set up originally to inform and foster community, increasingly have devolved into forums for rumors, accusations, arguments and division.

During the recently concluded mayoral campaign, one candidate’s surrogate actually threatened to sue several city residents for defamation during an online fight. Suing your own electorate—a novel campaign strategy indeed.

But that’s just a single incident. In recent months, many honorable, well-meaning individuals and organizations have been smeared online—earnest people who work hard and try their best every day to do good for this community.

And, if this happens to you, what do you do?

Do you ignore it, hoping it’ll just pass? Or do you respond and defend yourself, thereby opening you or your organization up to even more attacks, more slander? I wish I knew the best answer to this question.

Perhaps one day, the U.S. Congress will strip the legal protections enjoyed by the social media behemoths and force them to follow the same liability rules as your dinky community newspaper. But, until then, it’s up to us, as a community of people, to act kindly towards each other online.

When it comes to social media, I personally follow a few rules, which I thought I would share in case anyone finds them useful.

First, I refrain from criticizing anyone or anything on social media. I try to remember that this isn’t a private conversation I’m having at a bar. It’s a quasi-public forum, and my offhand opinions could cause real hurt and do real damage. Depression, anxiety and even suicides have been linked to social media attacks. And, yes, while Mark Zuckerberg currently can’t be sued for the dangerous nonsense spread on his platform, I—and you—can.

Secondly, I make sure that my facts are right. There’s an old cliché in journalism that says, “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” Call me old-fashioned, but I still believe in the power of reliable, factual information over rumor, conjecture and commentary.

Thirdly, when I have an issue with someone, I contact them and try to resolve it—personally. From time to time (thankfully, not too often), I’ve been targeted online for something TheBurg has published, as all editors have been. And I’ve wondered—if people are so upset with me, why doesn’t anyone contact me? Not a single phone call, email or visit. Please stop by. I’m open to listening, learning and trying to resolve any problem.

Lastly, I limit my exposure to social media. In so doing, I may be breaking a cardinal rule of today’s journalism—mouth off on Twitter as much as possible. But, for me, the costs vastly outweigh the benefits, in terms of productivity, peace of mind and the good use of my limited time on this planet. Twitter fights? No thank you. Besides, people do not need to hear my every half-baked thought. Once a month, in this space, is more than enough.

Social media was supposed to help bring us together, but it often does just the opposite, spreading misinformation and creating division. In my life, I’ve adopted ways of coping. However, I am concerned about this community—that the virtual acrimony is becoming real.

Lawrance Binda is co-publisher and editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

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