By now, everyone has seen the damage and the horrific conditions in the northeast as Superstorm Sandy devastated the area this week.
As of Tuesday, nearly 6.5 millions of people were without power, a confirmed and most likely rising total of 50 deaths have occurred, and homes, landmarks and attractions have been destroyed.
But have we really seen the damage? Or have we just seen what people are posting on Facebook or Twitter?
As people across the nation attempted to find updates and information on the hurricane, the internet quickly became infiltrated with doctored photos, fake tweets and rumors. With the amount of people who rely on social media as their source of news, this quickly became not only confusing and misleading, but insensitive to those who were in the midst of this tragedy.
Photos made their way around social media sites, including a photo of a shark swimming around the streets of New York, photos of the Statue of Liberty standing tall against thrashing waves and beneath ominous clouds, and three guards standing in the downpour at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
These, among others, were circulating around as if they were truthful photos. Some were Photoshopped and doctored and others were simply photos taken during a different storm or even from a movie.
While it is one thing to try to make light of a situation, it is another to provide false information and mislead people who may be in real danger.
Several Hurricane Sandy Twitter accounts were also created, not to provide information on the storm, but to make fun of the situation. Offensive tweets ranging from power outages to destroying the east coast are indicative of the insincerity and the lack of knowledge about the seriousness of this situation.
People have lost loved ones and millions have been living without power. These are human lives we are talking about, not just a storm. None of which should be joked about, made fun of or falsified.
This situation reiterates the fact that many Americans rely on social media for their main source of news information, which, in itself, is a mistake. While there are reliable sources out there, where one gets his or her information is based on who he or she follows on the social media sites. If people aren’t following the appropriate media sources online, in turn, they may be getting their news from sources much like the ones who were posting untrue photos and insensitive remarks.
The devastation in the east has affected and will affect not only those who make their lives in the area, but families and people across the country. At a time when it seems we are helpless, instead of making jokes, the least we can do is send our thoughts and prayers to those affected. Organizations have also been set up to make donations to help with the restoration and cleanup.
People across the social media platforms should spend a little less time laughing, and a little more time praying.
