Too Far In The Other Direction

Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter.....is this any way to gauge the world, to collect unverified images.. gossip... short films and photos submitted by Joe Blow and Suzie NoOne and broadcast them worldwide IMMEDIATELY?

What it creates is raw reaction and mostly EMOTIONAL response, and it's very, very dangerous... and listen up, folks....it can be used like any propaganda, because until it's veted, that's what it is.

Communication is critical... but cacophony... and the potential to spam bomb the world in order to turn the tide this way or that while hoping for a desired result, is like releasing information that will become the last man in crack-the-whip, and it's very, very dangerous territory. Did you ever play 'Telephone'? Did you ever pass along stories and are later appalled to see how they tend to morph or augment with each telling?

Any bloody image can be used for manipulation. (Yes. I'm talking about Neda.)

Anyone can put ANY tag they want on ANY photo and claim it's gospel because nothing is verified.

The race is ON to snap that first shot and post it in the ether, sit back and watch how many hits it gets.

Nothing is veted in the least, and that's why professional newsmen have always been (and will always be-- valuable.) They report. They do not color or interject personal opinion-- and all photo shots sent to editors are checked against fact. Articles are kept to pure reporting of news only, and that is why newspapers- both in print and online, SEPARATE their news from their opinion columns.

But in the Twitter world, all things are equal, and everyone races the clock to get the first word out.

Remember this: the first word is not the last word... and seeing is NOT believing- or shouldn't be- until it's checked out because it's not the whole picture, just a little- often sensational bitty part of it. I see this savvy Blackberry, iPhone age as potentially deadly unless something is done about verifying what is put out there. There should be a step between 'shoot and post'.

Don't IMMEDIATELY REACT to what you see or read. Consider the source... the possible intent...and try to gather all available, verifiable information before you begin to go ballistic and simply join the mob.

The world has enough hotheads and enough people with personal (or national) agendas to swing opinion this way or that via photos or personal accounts.

A GRAIN OF SALT, folks.

Always.