Ourselves, Our Posterity
In this issue: Fake posts are circulating faster than ever, learn how to spot and stop them; a refresher and short history of the Electoral College; a quick intro to the author.
This week’s edition leans more on the practical side, but rest assured, it still ties into the aspirational themes we focus on in every issue. At Ourselves, Our Posterity, we believe that individuals 55+ are in a unique position to make an impact on their communities, and through that, we can all live better and age well.
150,000 Shares in 16 Hours: How to Avoid Spreading Fake Posts
Sharing posts on impulse fuels the spread of false narratives. Recently, one of my Facebook friends shared a post from one of her FB friends, which that person had shared. So, neither was the creator of the post, yet both were willing to keep the content alive. It was a photo (see below) of former President Trump with a caption that read:
“I don’t think Facebook wants this picture on Facebook. They have been deleting it.”
Everything about this post felt false, wrong, and FAKE. I’m in the habit of questioning the veracity of all posts of this type, so I checked Snopes.com. Not only is it a fake post, but the photo was AI-generated. Look closely at Trump’s hand in the photo below. I didn’t notice when it popped on my feed.
According to Snopes, the post was shared 150,000 times in 16 hours. I’ll tackle why otherwise smart people fall for fake social media posts at another time. For now, I want to offer some tips on how to discern fake from real. In this case, the distorted hand is an obvious sign of manipulation. However, AI is improving daily. What happens when we get to the point that there are no tell-tale signs that a photo has been AI-created? How do we avoid falling for sensational content?
Here are a few practical tips:
1. Do a knee-jerk test. Did the post elicit anger, dismay, fear, or frustration? If so, it most likely appeals to your biases, and you need to stop and think before reacting. (More on biases in a later edition.)
2. Cross-reference with reputable news outlets. Before you hit “share,” take a moment to check the source. Investigate the account or page sharing the post. If it’s a legitimate news item, more than one mainstream news outlet will run the story. If it's a random social media account, it's more than likely not real. Keep in mind that often, fake posts are created by people who simply want to make fun of those who fall for them.
3. Use Snopes.com. It will give you a history of posts, urban legends, and other misinformation.
4. For photos, do a Google image check. Type in Google Images in the search bar. Ignore where it says “Sign In” because you don’t need an account. Just click on “Google Images” and upload the image. Even though I had already found what I was looking for using Snopes, I was curious what a quick image search would show. It indicated who may have originated the post and the sources already identifying it as false.
5. Read the comments in the post. Often, another person will spot the fake and make it known in the comments. Beware, though, because social media friends often have the same biases and partisan leanings as the person posting, which leads to jumping on the bandwagon. It’s the reason false posts spread quickly.
The next time you come across a sensational post, take a moment to pause and verify it before sharing it with others. No time to do that? Then refrain from adding to the debris field - don’t share.
I’m not trying to be ironic here, but If you benefited from this content, please help me build my reader base and share it with others.
The Electoral College Made As Simple As Possible
Knowing how our government functions and the history behind our institutions is one of the gifts we can pass on to future generations. After nearly three decades teaching social studies, I’m still passionate about keeping civics alive.
The Electoral College is one of those misunderstood but vital systems in our government. Here’s a refresher on how this unique institution works.
1. What is the Electoral College (Electoral System)?
It is the unique system used in the U.S. to select the president.
2. Why did the Framers of the Constitution develop the electoral system?
The Framers created the system to keep the election of the president out of the hands of the uninformed masses–the common people. The Framers understood that most people were not adequately informed about the issues. This is in part due to individuals not having the time to become fully informed and also not having access to issues from all points of view.
It is also due to the understanding that individuals look at issues based on how they will be personally affected–negatively or positively. We don’t look at how decisions will affect society as a whole or future generations.
3. How has the Electoral College changed over the years?
The members of the Electoral College were to be selected by the state legislatures, and the popular vote was not considered when selecting the president.
The original plan was for the electors—members of the Electoral College—to cast their votes based on who they thought would best serve the interests of the nation as a whole.
By the mid-1800s, the system evolved into the winner-take-all system we have today. Thus, whichever candidate gets the most votes (plurality, not majority) wins ALL of the electoral votes for the state. For example, Florida has 30 electors (electoral votes) and approximately 13.8 million voters. If Candidate A gets just one more popular vote than Candidate B, Candidate A gets all 30 electoral votes.
Two exceptions are Maine and Nebraska. In these states, two electoral votes go to the candidate who won the popular vote. The other votes are split based on who wins in each congressional district. Maine only has two districts, and Nebraska has three.
4. How are the number of electoral votes determined?
The number of electoral votes each state has is based on the number of members it has in Congress.
Each state has two senators. Representation in the House of Representatives is
proportional based on a state’s population. The larger the population, the more
representatives.
For example, Florida is the third most populated state after California and Texas. Therefore, it has 28 representatives in the House of Representatives. When you add 28 to 2 for the number of senators, Florida has 30 members in Congress.
Since the number of electoral votes equals the number of members in Congress, Florida has 30 electoral votes.
Alaska has three electoral votes because it has two senators and one representative for its only congressional district.
Whichever candidate wins the most popular votes in a state, with the exception of Maine and Nebraska, wins all of the state’s electoral votes. Hence, the winner-take-all system.
5. How many electoral votes must a candidate receive to be declared the winner?
There are 535 members in Congress. The Twenty-Third Amendment gave Washington, D.C. three electoral votes. Therefore, there are 538 electoral votes.
A candidate must win at least 270 to be declared the winner.
6. What if neither candidate wins the minimum 270 votes?
The House of Representatives votes on who becomes president. The Senate votes on who becomes vice president.
Whose Behind Ourselves, Our Posterity
I’m Mary Boza Crimmins. At 57, I recalibrated my life. I left the classroom to pursue my dream of being a writer and founded Crimmins Communications, where I content/ghostwrite, create courses, research, and edit for organizations and individuals. I’m the author of Taking the Holy Spirit to Work and the Christian blog Moving Toward 100%. I’m a grandmother of three, mom of two sons, and wife to one husband. I love traveling, reading, walking my dogs, and helping others reach their goals.
Thank you for sharing the info about the fake posts which are so dangerous. Yes - it's wise not to share a particular post unless you can authenticate its veracity.