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Protests tomorrow in DC: there's much concern, misinfo, & oxygen w/ anticipation of the National Guard's heavy presence, possible CBP presence, Proud Boys, more. I'm here to slow us down with some prebunking tips to minimize anyone fanning the flames of more polarization. 1/
The mayor of DC has encouraged people to stay home, essentially to cede to demonstrations & avoid possible confrontations. But no one should feel like they cannot go outside. We all have 1st Am. rights to assemble peacefully & media must be allowed to report on these issues. 2/
What we see online can also shape our attitudes & behaviors. When info is false, unverified, or manipulated, it can rile people up and polarize us. So, we must be careful about what we believe & what we share on our own feeds. Reporters, DC residents, everyone has a role: 3/
Everyone: DON'T share social content simply bc you think it's relevant. Was that image manipulated? Is that reporter's profile real or an imposter account? Did you read an article ALL THE WAY thru? Be judicious in likes & shares. Any engagement can boost content for others 4/
Reporters: readers may not be in the habit of critical reading. They may skim headlines & not likely be fact-checking info. The headline & lede of your story might be all people read. You must do the heavy lifting of mtg readers where they are with info they can use. 5/
Reporters: report denominators to give people a sense of scale of incidents. Whether it's an arrest, attacks on reporters, vandalism, possible white nationalists impersonating others, you must be clear how incidents are/are not indicative of larger trends. Be explicit. 6/
Editors & newsrooms: craft headlines thoughtfully to report denominators and scale of incidents. Give readers context at every turn. Your diligence will make huge differences in what people talk about and share as newsworthy on their social feeds. 7/
Influencers/everyone: When you amplify content, you give it the imprimatur of credibility. This can legitimize info, whether it's been reported on or verified. Don't abuse followers' trust; share credible techniques like this thread to help limit disinfo. 8/
If you are an individual targeted or arrested, @NLGnews has a hotline for legal support. If you are a reporter with questions or problems from police, call the @rcfp hotline for legal support.
