Nothing funny about fake news!
RUMOUR HAS it that Jamaicans are some of the happiest people in the world. Despite overwhelming crime statistics and a strong corruption perception that affect virtually every sector of the country, Jamaicans seem to always be laughing or making fun out of some situation; albeit in some cases, very serious situations.
‘Cliff Twang’ became a household name and character after he was featured as the centrepiece of DJ Powa’s ‘Nobody Canna Cross It’ video in which he lamented extreme flooding along the main road in his community.
When ‘Tutty Gran Rosie’ complained of flooding on her street, explaining that ‘tutty gran’ can’t pay for her bed, dresser or other furniture, the same DJ Powa took the interview, made a song out of it, and it became one hell of a joke.
With the entire globe becoming more techno-savvy, these days there’s always a meme in circulation making light of some otherwise very concerning situation.
If anyone was scared during the minutelong earthquake that shook Jamaica earlier in February, all fear had certainly subsided by the time persons started making jokes about how Digicel’s Shake to Win Promotion had the whole country shaking.
Jamaicans definitely know how fi tek serious ting mek joke. I’ve realised, though, that we have developed a problem. A few Jamaicans are a little different from the rest. Not only do they find jokes about the news funny, they find joke news funny. They get a kick out of sending others into a frenzy over things that are just not true.
Take, for example, the spurious communiqué that was sent out recently (which bore the Ministry of Health’s logo) that confused students and their parents into thinking schools were on lockdown until further notice. Or, the rumours that missing University of the West Indies student Jasmine Dean had been found. Or simply, voice notes in circulation of persons who were “just with the PNP MP in 7 miles” and have classified information to share.
These seem to be very benevolent and thoughtful efforts until the information is discredited. This kind of thing has not only confused the efforts of government personnel but has helped to create mass hysteria. I guess that’s the point anyway.
Unfortunately, some persons really do participate in the circulation of these invalid messages thinking they are ‘saving a life’ or doing some other form of good. But to be fair, it is sheer carelessness in many cases that result in the propagation of foolishness on social media.
Given the COVID19 pandemic, many persons simply want to share something that will help their loved ones be safe during ‘the crisis’. But if the Ministry of Health has issued any information relating to the spread of the disease, I would think the best place to view said information is on their official website. If persons thought along these lines, the widely circulated fake ‘UNICEF’ posters wouldn’t have survived very long on social media.
CHAIN MESSAGES
On the other hand, many Jamaicans are yet to learn that in times of high-level stress and anxiety, if one is not an authority figure on a given matter, it is not the time to record and circulate a voice note outlining what you think and feel, especially if the voice note is going to bear the ender ‘please share so everyone can know’.
Voice notes have become the new annoying chain messages that you hope your relatives don’t send you. We have moved away from the “Share with 10 contacts or you will have bad luck” chain messages to “Share with everyone in your contacts so they can be safe” voice notes.
Persons have to recognise that if they have classified information about the Government’s plans regarding the spread of the new coronavirus in Jamaica that others don’t already have, they are more than likely the chief medical officer or minister of health. If not, maybe the information is just not that classified or just not that true.
I think Jamaicans are generally a humorous people. Maybe amid all the crime, it is what is keeping us sane. We should put more thought into the things we circulate as ‘jokes’, though.
Before COVID-19 found its way on the island, I remember receiving a video which featured the voice of what sounded like two women getting frantic about a ‘submarine’ they saw downtown from which it seems a number of men were dismounting. The two women were certain that the men had come to release on us the dreaded COVID-19.
Another video that made the rounds on social media some time ago featured the voice of a woman exclaiming in amazement“Wow, Look pon the ostrich dem”as she stood watching the birds on what could have been a beachside. The birds were not ostriches.
But, the point is, it does seem as though aside from our fake news problem, we seem to find the slightest evidence of uneducation very funny. We get a kick out of hearing people struggle to construct a complete sentence in English or out of hearing people use words out of context. And we post and repost the vox pop videos of people who think the national flower is ackee or who don’t know what a ‘stock market’ is and we seize upon their ignorance.
While I can’t say one is in the wrong for finding this material funny, we should be mindful of sharing material that brings embarrassment to other people – especially due to things they have no control over.
People must also take greater responsibility in fact-checking the ‘news’ they share. The idle brains that keep creating fake content won’t rest for now.