EDITORIAL
This holiday season as people swipe through Facebook pages and look at Christmas and New Year’s posts, we remind readers to think about their social media consumption versus their family and community connections.
While Facebook may get information to a person’s close circle of friends and personal contacts, it doesn’t get the information to 9,000 people of different backgrounds, socioeconomic status and political beliefs in Milam County each week.
Virtual communities are not a news source. There is no one schooled and trained to verify facts, monitor government and provide a forum for public criticism and compromise at these companies.
This year, Facebook has faced deserved scrutiny and scorn for failing to place a check on foreign actors using its platform to work to influence a U.S. election.
A new report in The Washington Post verifies in stark detail how Russia used and abused Facebook to spread lies and misinformation.
When the company did face pressure from Congress and its users, Facebook officials hired a public relations firm to attack those who made the facts known, even using the “George Soros-funded” political diatribe instead of taking responsibility for its shortcomings.
Other things neither Facebook, nor any social media outlet, does include:
• Pay rent or property and education taxes in the local area.
• Buy at the local grocery or hardware stores or gas stations.
• Have children or grandchildren attending local schools.
• Use the local post office as its biggest volume customer, week after week after week.
• Attend or report on local events, activities or governmental meetings.
• Contribute anything to the local economy…
On the other hand, local community newspapers and their owners and employees do all of the above, and more.
While readers look over highlights of 2018 in an upcoming issue, The Rockdale Reporter reminds everyone that we have supported and covered Milam County for 135 years and will continue to do so with your help.
Happy New Year to all.—C.G.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.