"Social Media - The Double-Edged Sword That Fuels Misrepresentation"

"Social Media - The Double-Edged Sword That Fuels Misrepresentation"

By Emily Le

Imagine this: you are scrolling down your social media page when a video catches your attention. In the video, the creator is sharing her personal life stories and what is currently happening where she lives. Out of curiosity, you open the comment section to look at other people’s opinions. The comments are divided with different attitudes, many positive and many negative. And not only that, they present numerous information that makes you question what to believe. Because the truth is, how do you recognize misinformation when the information presented seems so persuasive? 

For the last decades, social media has rapidly become a huge part of our society. People around the world document their lives and share it to others through various platforms. New information is constantly being spread throughout the day, and it is crazy to think that we did not have such reachable access to data and information a century ago. Now, we can find people through different social media platforms, access information instantly on the web, and gain insights about current events with just one click. 

Social Media provides a type of access we have never had before to connect with one another and foster our knowledge of society. But, the rise of social media means information is often shared without credible sources, resulting in harmful stereotypes and misrepresentations. Which leads to this crucial question: is it truly a useful tool or a harmful weapon? 

Social Media and the misrepresentation of Homelessness

So, now you are wondering, what does social media have to do with homelessness? 

Many important topics have been discussed throughout various social media platforms, sparking meaningful discussions among individuals and creating a net of awareness. But on the other hand, it also encourages stigmas, stereotypes, and misrepresentation of many marginalized communities. Because once again, social media is a double edged sword. 

There are numerous videos out there documenting homelessness, in which most of them are captured without any consents and posted under lots of questionable/hateful hashtags. These individuals have no control over what is being posted about themselves, and even worse, what kinds of angles are taken. Once these videos are posted, the comment sections would be flooded with stereotypical judgments that reinforce harmful stigmas (I.e. laziness), without further looking into the true reasons why many people are suffering on the streets (I.e. affordable housing crisis, income inequality, and systemic discrimination). Here, instead of focusing on causes and solutions, negative judgments are demonstrated in numerous videos. 

The point is, I believe that we all should rethink our perception and languages in social media when discussing about homelessness. Yes, social media provides platforms and opportunities to spread awareness about important topics, but it is important to recognize that it is also a weapon used to dehumanize and stigmatize oppressed populations. When we realize that social media fuels misrepresentation, we are also taking the first step to change our perception about homelessness and what truly causes it.

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