□Zhang Yifan (Shanxi University of Finance and Economics)
On the afternoon of December 26, a netizen posted on social media that he found someone on Xianyu who claimed to be selling down jackets donated to the Gansu earthquake area. After understanding, the relevant situation is not true. The user made up false information to create a hot spot in order to sell his own down jackets. Xianyu stated that the platform had conducted an investigation as soon as possible. The actual situation was that the user was selling down jackets in order to attract traffic and fabricate disaster relief material information, which was a malicious marketing behavior. The platform immediately removed the product from the shelves and permanently banned the account. (December 27, Dazhong.com)
Looking back on this incident, the truth of the matter is not confusing. What is difficult is how individuals view "private" communication on the Internet, how the public participates in discussions, and how the media should correctly guide public opinion and not fall into fanaticism. A whirlpool of “denunciation”.
is in a "big communication" environment, and private communication should be "calm". In this incident, in order to achieve the purpose of diverting traffic, users chose the hot event "Gansu Earthquake" and distorted the facts to attract attention. At the critical moment of aiding disaster areas, such statements on the Internet can easily arouse public concern about charities. Crisis of Confidence. In the Internet age, the boundaries between "private" and "public" communication are gradually blurring. Some inappropriate remarks posted on personal social platforms are likely to turn into public incidents. Therefore, even if it is personal speech, we must respect the facts, remain objective, and refrain from distortion or emotional "output".
In the face of hot-button events, the public should take a cold shoulder. In this public opinion, most netizens blindly took sides online because of their concern for the people in the disaster area before the matter was confirmed, causing a lot of negative effects. At this critical moment, this has brought certain troubles to the rescue. . Unverified news, fueled by public sentiment, drives public opinion to turmoil and even polarizes, which also reflects the lack of public media literacy. Improving the ability to discern information is an indispensable ability for citizens in the Internet age. We must observe rationally before information becomes facts, and we must not let public opinion curb our ability to think for ourselves.
Correctly guide public opinion, and the media must "cool down" in a timely manner. As soon as the news attracted attention, the media reported the platform's investigation results, curbing "secondary public opinion." In today's excessive pursuit of "short, flat, and fast", "reversal news" and "fake news" emerge in endlessly, and the media should shoulder the responsibility of "spreading the truth and guiding public opinion." Public discussions will go into a frenzy due to "extreme resonance", and the media will use facts to cool it down. While practicing journalistic professionalism, we must ensure that sufficient information is provided as soon as emergencies occur to avoid over-interpretation by the public and the spread of unverified information.
When facts are no longer the criterion and when emotions become the subject of expression, the public opinion field will become a fanatical "battlefield" and eventually lead to extremes. Whether you are an individual or the media, staying calm amid the frenzy can bring you closer to the truth. Only by "cold in the midst of Hao Ge's enthusiasm" can one be "saved in the hopelessness of nowhere".
