In the age of digital media, the possibility of sharing information is becoming more accessible and easier to do. While this advancement in technology and communication is amazing, sometimes the information being shared by people we know is not always the truth. This is what Arizona State University’s News Co/Lab refers to as, “The “Grandmother Problem,” and many of us often face this issue while browsing our various social media platforms. This problem can be solved by encouraging our followers and the people spreading this misinformation to verify what they’re sharing, but this raises one question, how can we enlighten our friends and family without offending or fighting with them?
This is not as simple of a task as it may sound, but I’ll share what I believe is the best way to enlighten our loved ones without offending them in the process.
The first step to this process that I would suggest, is to remember to be patient. Most people don’t like to hear that what they believe is false, or that their idea of the truth is wrong, so remembering to be patient through the process is going to be essential. I believe that having a patient mind will not only make your responses more well thought-out , but will help you stay civil throughout the conversation too.
The second step would be to gather the correct information on the topic from verified and reliable sources to ensure that the misinformation being spread is actually false, and that you can relay the correct information to the person you are trying to clear things up with. You shouldn’t try to accuse someone of spreading false information if you haven’t verified or researched the topic yourself. Once you believe you have the right amount of evidence to support what you’re saying to be true and what ‘s being shared to be false, then you can attempt to start a conversation with the person you want to educate.
The third step, in my opinion, is to approach the conversation in a respectful way. Do not embarrass or talk down to the person you are in conversation with, and remember that you can send a private message before reply in the post comments. Sometimes the situation can be handled in a private message and there is no need to put the other person on display. If you attempt to contact the person privately and they’re either rude or in denial of the information you’re providing, then you can use your discretion to appropriately alert the other followers in the post comments that this information is not correct.
If after attempting all of these steps the person sharing misinformation does not correct their post, take down their post, or ends up unfriending you, don’t be too hard on yourself. Not everyone is going to be as receptive to this attempt of education as you’d like, and you can’t win them all. In the end It’s better to attempt to help spread correct information in a respectful and appropriate way, rather than let your loved ones continue to believe misinformation as well as spread it to their following.
