Embracing Twitter's Real-Time Nature

I’ve had a Twitter account for some time but wasn't actively engaged. Recently, I created a “Lost on Purpose” handle specifically to share my articles and interact with fellow writers (feel free to follow!). Over the past few months, I’ve been attempting to embrace Twitter as a real-time conversation hub. However, this transition has been challenging and has presented a steep learning curve. I’m making an effort to check in regularly, especially to engage with others. I’ve started to enjoy reading tweets from fellow writers and have even begun commenting and retweeting when I feel inspired, but I often struggle to contribute meaningful dialogue.

This brings me to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. First and foremost, this is not intended as a political analysis. Regardless of your views on the situation, this discussion focuses on how to engage meaningfully on Twitter. Like many, I’m deeply concerned about the ramifications of Russia’s invasion as a global power. Additionally, I have a personal connection to the region, having volunteered in Moldova—Ukraine’s southern neighbor—during Russia’s annexation of Crimea nearly a decade ago.

Navigating the Twitter Conversation on Ukraine

Consequently, I found myself overwhelmed trying to absorb and engage with Twitter discussions about Ukraine. How can I discern breaking news while ensuring it’s accurate? Should I retweet information from an influencer with a large following, even if I’m not familiar with their credibility?

Interestingly, I discovered I’m not alone in my feelings. A quick online search revealed numerous resources addressing misinformation on platforms like TikTok and Twitter. Here are some key takeaways I gathered from a variety of articles, including one from MIT Technology Review:

• Always evaluate the source before sharing. Don’t rush to retweet the first tweet tagged with “#Ukraine.”
• If you’re sharing an article link, ensure you’ve read it in its entirety before passing it along!
• Be cautious about retweeting content in a language you don’t understand.
• If you share something later found to be incorrect, make sure to delete it or issue a correction.
• Utilize fact-checking resources like Washington Post, Snopes, Politifact, and Media Bias/Fact Check.
• Follow reliable journalists; Mashable has a comprehensive list worth checking out.

For now, I opted to retweet a thread from NPR. Will my single tweet effect change? Probably not. But is it preferable to silence? I’d like to think so.

Engagement and Suggestions Welcome

If you have insights or strategies for using Twitter (or relevant social media platforms) to evaluate content and sources before liking or retweeting, please share them in the comments below!

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