Before the convenience of online news sources, people primarily gleaned their information from newspapers. During the mid-1990s, the first televised news program aired on American television. Since then, the consumption of news kept evolving and changing. In the 21st century, news consumption is incredibly reliant on speculation from other people. More often than not, this leads to a world of social media where you can find more misinformation than credible reporters.
At the beginning of Jan. 2024, footage of the Miami Police Department surrounding the Miami Mall went viral. Speculation and discourse were fueled by another TikTok claiming that outside sources examined the footage and found an alien-looking figure.
The Miami Mall Incident quickly became a new hot topic online, with people making satirical videos and conspiracy theories due to the content creator’s statement. Later, the man who had posted the video claiming that there were aliens retracted his statement, saying that he was only joking and had never intended nor anticipated the video to get so many views. The figure spotted at the mall was three people walking while the camera footage was distorted by light.
Similar events happened in July 2023, when five passengers aboard the submarine bound for the Titanic were lost at sea. Before the five passengers were declared deceased, the internet made theories about what had happened to the passengers. Some were believable, like an implosion or simple disconnection from the outside world; other theories were more far-fetched such as creatures taking the submersible.
But misinformation does not end at social media. Even news outlets that should be reliable tend to blow situations out of proportion to attract larger audiences and increase their retention and interactions. Sometimes, this can be at the expense of other people/ celebrities.
In 2023, Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez began an online “feud.” The debacle was a major topic on social media sites, with many taking sides, and Gomez fans sending death threats to Bieber. The threats led to Gomez having to come out and stop her fans’ harassment.
Swifties had a similar controversy with Olivia Rodrigo. After her single “Vampire” was released, fans speculated she showed hints of resentment towards Taylor Swift through the lyrics. Rodrigo denied the allegations, yet many still believe the theory.
The media and other conspiracy theorists have greatly influenced the general public. Though the internet grants freedom of speech and opinion, this information is often unreliable.
