Beware of misinformation in times of uncertainty

With the budget cut rumor mill beginning to reach new heights, people reading the news, especially students, need to ensure they are getting the right information from the right sources.

In the age of social media, it is far too easy for rumors to get out of control. One person tweets something or posts it on facebook, a few people share and then people start believing it’s true. We’ve all had those relatives and friends who share an “article” from a satire news website about President Barack Obama raising the nation’s taxes to give his dogs better food, or welfare recipients also receiving free sports cars. It’s quite difficult to reason with someone once they’ve melded into the mob of misinformation.

Following President Bruce Murphy’s rally in the Student Union about what students can do in preparation of the upcoming budget cuts to higher education in the state of Louisiana, social media was ablaze with students wondering about increased fees and tuition. A glance at any of the posts being made sparked rumors of tuition going up $2,500 a semester. Fortunately, that didn’t gather much steam and after a few days, social media returned to its normal rotation of memes and posts about Kylie Jenner. However, that highlights the necessity for searching out sound information in a time of uncertainty.

It is no secret that students have questions and concerns that need to be addressed regarding the future of higher education in this state. Those questions are not being fully answered, and the concerns not properly dealt with. It is essential that we do not fall into the trap of believing something for the sake of believing it. It’s easy to make kneejerk reaction-based on speculation, but that is not something that we must avoid doing while these budget talks are held.

However, it is important to seek the information you want. Brush up on your First Amendment rights, and do not be afraid to ask the questions you have. No one is making this an easy pill for students to swallow, but that doesn’t mean that we should be expected to do our best imitations of the three wise monkeys by turning a blind eye to what is going on in this state and on this campus.

Refuse to take no for an answer, but at the same time do some research of your own. Like the guy who claims he is a French model, everything you see on the Internet isn’t true.