Social media can be

anything but "social". It has long been obvious that it can also be misused and abused in much the same ways as other media outlets can be used. 

This has happened as long as people have been able to convey messages. More than one archaeologist has found evidence of ancient graffiti abusing someone. It will undoubtedly go on happening too. 

The bigger problem now of course is that so many more people can convey messages and so many more others can read them. It has put power into the pens of people who deliberately and wilfully use it to spread messages that incite violence, hatred, ridicule, contempt and much more. Dare to disagree and find yourself "counselled",  made to attend "training" classes, ostracised, out of a job, despised and even taken to court.  There is also room to spread deliberately misleading news about incidents, events, research, trends and much more. 

Issues like "vaccination", "refugees", "global warming", and the language surrounding "gender" bring on heated and sometimes violent debate. It can be dangerous to even dare to express an opinion - or not express an opinion.

Being told what to think or that I am "wrong" about something doesn't suit me at all. I need to find out things for myself. I know I won't always get something right. I know there are times when I don't have the time to research something for myself, when I have to rely on other people. But there are also times when I have what I suppose might be called a "gut feeling" that something needs to be investigated more closely. I need a variety of ideas thrown at me. I need to do some research for myself...even if it is just to read more than one article across a variety of media outlets, knowing that differing opinions will be expressed.

I don't want people to state opinions as facts but it is sometimes hard to work out the difference. I don't want people to incite violence but there are times when that incitement can be subtle and every bit as dangerous as outspoken demands.

And there are times when an issue is given so much publicity it can be harmful in other ways. I was talking to a mother yesterday. She was telling me how concerned the extended family had been about her four year old son. He wanted a doll for Christmas. A doll? Was he gay? Was he transgender? Was there something else wrong with him?

He's an only child and there is almost no opportunity for him to play with other children.  His parents would love to have another child but he is adopted and they have no hope of having any of their own. 

"And the reason he wanted a doll was so damn simple I just cried," his mother told me, "He told me it was just so he could have someone to play with."

He got the doll for Christmas. It's a "boy" doll because he thought a brother would be more fun than a sister.  The two of them have been playing happily together. 

"If I hadn't listened to why he wanted it I would have been worrying that he needed help," his mother said, "I would have worried even though I think you don't really know enough to know if you are only four."

Of course things aren't always what they seem to be or what we are told they are.