ART BY JOSEPH MENDOZABy JACOB RAMOS
STAFF WRITER
As we transition deeper into the realms of twenty first century technology, awareness of worldwide problems has become the first step to solving them. However, what happens when that same accessibility leads to an endless sea of social media spam, that realistically will not help anyone?
Perhaps you were recently bombarded with “repost on your story to send a meal to Sudan” or a barrage of the same post detailing that sharing it is the “only way” to save the burning Amazon forest. Unfortunately, social media warriors—users who take far too much responsibility into their own hands—have viewed these horrid events, filled with death, trauma and negative change in our world, as an opportunity for personal net growth via phony social media ploys and attempts to go viral.
It is true that the Sudan crisis of 2018 and 2019 was a serious matter in need of support and in likeness, the Amazon Rainforest fires must be put out as the Amazon is a crucial piece to our Earth’s collective ecosystem.
Unfortunately, the causes have blown up far too much online, even though social media did not even have access to these issues before hand. This leads to another issue where there is a snowball effect, in which more and more social media warriors begin spreading their spam and fake information.
Logically, Instagram and Facebook, two massive social media platforms that have long been tied by a business deal made in 2012, must have the ability to instill a collective verification test for accounts which try to request money for causes such as the Amazon fires, Brexit or the Sudanese Crisis.
Such a verification process must look as simple as the current Instagram verification process, in which one fills out what aspiration they want to raise money for. If the account requesting this new “Donation Hub” title successfully earns the name, one more account for a good cause will be on the internet. Those rejected may request the title again, although, Instagram and Facebook will surely handle the matter of accounts requesting “Donation Hub” status accurately. Once Instagram or Facebook creates this method, there will be much less counterfeit, shallow hearted gofundme pages or repost pages allowed to clog up your feed.
Not only will this problem’s resolution fix what one may see on their feed, it will also allow for false information to quickly be filtered out of your favorite social media platforms.
For example, the Sudan “support’’ page, which attempted to fraud people into thinking they were helping Sudan, exclaimed they could get the food through Sudanese borders, leading many to believe that the internally feuding Sudan had open borders. However, it was never made aware to these followers that their attempts at sending food to starving families were futile, as Sudan had closed borders during the time of the crisis.
Via the complete account inspection that Instagram and Facebook would have to complete in order to verify the account for donation, a fact check should take place. The fact check would not only attempt to take down spam, but it would also include a thorough checking of all points made on the page.If a score is not sufficient above a certain level, then the account would not be able to attain the desired title.
Fortunately, there are organizations currently that truly do help international affairs, along with smaller events in which there are issues. Take for instance greenpeace.org which is a tried and true organization which has donated millions in a positive effort to help the Amazon. These organizations do their part so they can attempt to make a positive change in our ever changing world which sometimes seems to be charged with negativity.
In short, this resolution would keep social media warriors at bay and allow for a safer and stronger social media support zone.
The matter is now in your hands, Instagram and Facebook. You have the influence, the power and the following. You truly matter in people’s eyes. Make this change and make the world a better place, or do not, and allow for more people to be fooled by some of your page’s misguided deeds of attempted pure self enhancement. With such a massive reach, this should be a no brainer.
