The straws keep on coming

One has to wonder what the last straw will be.

Photo by Mitch Fox on Unsplash

The disturbing Twitter/Musk news recently:

• Twitter Drops Enforcement of COVID-19 Misinformation Policy
• Elon Musk triggers liberals, sends them into wartime footing over free speech
• Twitter is no longer enforcing its Covid misinformation policy

If you click through, you’ll see that it’s an issue in American left and right with different takes on it, of course.

I just shake my head over this Covid stuff. A couple of years ago, we were scared s***less about this thing. We’d never run into such a health issue in our time and things went into overtime to address it. We wore masks, stayed home, and got vaccinated (I’m up to five now and don’t regret any of them.) A couple of the shots went well and the other three gave me a really sore shoulder for a couple of days but I dealt with it.

We stuck it out and things did appear to get better. Restrictions were loosened and that was the starting shot for people who want to proclaim that masks and the vaccination did nothing.

So, now Twitter is not going to enforce those that want to spread misinformation about the topic. Of course, there is no reputable research or studies on the topic. It’s just people wanting to spread whatever message they wish.

I would hope that I, personally, would be immune to this. Bizarre claims typically send me off on a fact check to see if the message is credible. For the outrageous claims, I guess I could be best described as passive-aggressive. I don’t get into a spitting match; often that’s what they want. I’ll just block them. I do so value those who are thoughtful and truthful on social media and have no time for the rest.

I don’t go looking for messages in the great unwashed. I prefer to stay informed by those who I’ve curated into the Ontario Educator lists. Just yesterday, my friend Cliff asked me where social media fits for me and I shared my thoughts

I’m wrestling with each and their purpose. Right now…
Twitter is for education and all things related and lists for my FollowFriday stuff.
Facebook is for interesting people and people I either know or knew in the past.
Mastodon is in between right now. I don’t have enough followers or people I follow to get real value from it. I started Twitter in 2007 and have really built it up nicely. It will be tough to let go.

In the foreseeable future, I still feel the same way.

I remember another friend Chris when asked about the two of us

We’re Canadian; we’re just … nice

It’s a sentiment that I would like to think still applies and applies to all Canadians. However, yesterday, Jaimie and I took a walk in a new neighbourhood and I saw a house that was covered with all kinds of propaganda and three or four of those **** Trudeau flags. This is not what I would consider an appropriate sentiment. I know that we all support various causes during election times but to see it continue just leaves me shaking my head. I would hate to be a neighbour.

Years ago, it would be difficult to gather those messages. We would turn to television and radio to get news, not opinions. Now, anyone with a Social Media account can take any position they want and I do respect alternative opinions. They may be wrong from my perspective but I respect that. I don’t respect, however, those who would broadcast blatantly false information.

That is where I see this decision at Twitter going. If this allowed to happen, could other things be on the way? If you read this Cnet article, you’ll see this disturbing observation

Nov. 28: One employee left on child safety team

What’s next? Racism? Sexism?

It’s not the type of environment that I want to work in.

My Dad had this cutesy saying “You do good by doing good”. It means more to me than ever these days and I now see the flip side as well.

There will come a time when that last straw comes.