The post, as shown in the included screenshots, like many we encounter on social platforms, reeks of manipulation.
There is no way 10,000 United States citizens are saying this, let alone “begging” for it. The original poster used the term “netizens” because what they are asserting is not true of Americans. The post title is “I hope this true.” Again, this can (though not always) be a small but relevant clue that this post may have been created by a foreign entity or bot whose sole objective is to further divide and incite the American people for personal gain.
If you take a moment to look at their profile, it is obvious that this is not a trustworthy source of information or news. Yet, people engage with the post as though it has unquestionable merit.
Foreign governments, bots, trolls, scammers, and paid actors are attempting and, in some cases, succeeding in undermining our country by further dividing us. Having gained unregulated access to AI, these spirits of disruption have been further enabled.
Nobody really wants Charlie Kirk’s murderer to go free. Don’t believe the trolls. Don’t be fooled by propaganda. See it for what it is: manipulation.
We are Americans, and we are better than this. We must not let ourselves be drawn into a fight against these apparitions. Swinging our fists against ghosts will not help anyone. If we continue to punch at the darkness, we may accidentally hurt innocent bystanders and ourselves. One thing is certain: we will destroy our home in the process.
I have engaged with my fair share of trolls and bots on social platforms, including Lemon8, and have even tried to reason with them. After doing so on a slew of posts, it became clear that I was seeing the same people making the same fraudulent claims and incendiary comments on most every post; on Lemon8, blocking a user doesn’t hide their comments from third-party posts.
At first, I thought they were just determined to share their viewpoint. I realized, after seeing this behavior repeated across multiple posts, that they are following a script. Both sides of the conversation are actors who are trying to pull in people who are outraged or hurt by their framing of the situation.
Each of us needs to be aware of this tactic and how it is being used to further manipulate us and affect our news cycle. What appears to be division from within is not always the case. We are being drawn into the fight by those who have a vested interest in seeing our country fall.
Wake up, America. We are being controlled and conquered through posts from people we do not know.
So, what can we do to address this issue?
Do not engage. Block, and move on. The more engagement the trolls get, the more the algorithm will favor them; it doesn’t distinguish between rage bait, arguments, and actual interest-based interactions.
Help spread awareness. Although you are welcome to share my post, it is sometimes best to put things in your own words, from your own perspective. That is the beauty of diverse viewpoints and experience; your distinct perspective and voice may reach people that mine won’t, and a friend or family member may be more inclined to listen to and engage with you than someone they have never met.
Remember, open minds lead to open dialogue and open hearts.
~ elr
Images: ID 110812578 © Alphaspirit | Dreamstime.com | Screenshots of a Lemon8 social media post and engagement. Included for illustrative informational purposes only.