IN 2020 WOLVES HIDE BEHIND FILTERS
By Tatiana Leiva, young woman from San Salvador
We used to be told that wolves came in sheep's clothing, but in 2020, wolves use filters and the internet to do their bidding. Social media have become our favorite activity to waste time or simply disconnect from our surroundings. I'm not judging you; we've all spent hours and hours looking at photos on Instagram, sharing memes on Facebook and… how can we forget the hilarious videos on TikTok? We already think we are experts in digital media, and we think we have everything calculated, but it is not so. Every day we are exposed to lies that circulate all over the internet. Some are more obvious than others, and some people know how to identify them, but unfortunately others do not.
There are all kinds of lies on the internet, from a photo with many filters in which we would not be able to recognize a person, to job offers that aim to sexually exploit a teenager. I know it sounds strong and disturbing, but it is the reality. I don't want anything to happen to you, but to protect yourself you need to learn how to distinguish such deceptions.
Here are a few tips:
1. Did it cause a dramatic emotional reaction? Be suspicious. Fake news are tailored to provoke big surprises or rejection.
2. Identify if the information has a clear author. Is it a real person or organization? If not, it is probably false information.
3. Be suspicious if they show you a very simple way to carry out processes that we know are more complicated, such as scholarships, visas, job offers, housing rentals, etc.
4. Verify that the information includes links and that it cites official sources (in other words, that it is transparent).
5. Investigate if other reliable media outlets are disseminating the same information or news. If this is not the case, it does not mean that the information is a lie, but it could be suspicious.
Now that you know these simple tips, I invite you to take them into account before sharing news, information or accepting any kind of award, job or scholarship. Remember also to share this blog, so you can help more people avoid falling for lies found on the Internet.