GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Likes, shares and retweets. Social media is a go-to place for information.
“What you’ll see when big news stories happen, often times, people will find out on social media,” said Jena Richter, a social media specialist at UW-Green Bay.
But sites, like Facebook and Twitter, can quickly lead to confusion when all the facts have not yet been released.
“That can be dangerous because, if you’re not listening to a credible source, you’re getting information from, it could be anyone,” explained Richter.
Rumors were spreading online Sunday evening after the shootings at Fritse Park in Menasha. There was talk of multiple shootings in the fox valley and suspects still on the loose. Town of Menasha Police later posted an update with the accurate information. One location. One shooter. No threat to the public.
“You’re going to want to go to the source,” Richter said. “If it involves a certain organization, you’re going to want to go to them. If it’s something local, you’re going to want to go to your local news station or your local police. Those are the sources you’re going to want to believe on social media.”
Sources with a set standard of sharing information. Otherwise, you could end up adding to the confusion.
“Take a second,” added Richter. “Consider where you got the information.”
