“How to protect yourself online from misinformation right now.”

Whitney Phillips, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, was quoted by the MIT Technology Review for the article “How to protect yourself online from misinformation right now.” The article focuses on advice from experts on how to stay safe and protect others when it comes to spreading incorrect information online. Professor Phillips, an expert on media literacy and political communications, stated that “we have a muscle memory of hitting retweet,” when it comes to sharing “something that speaks to a personal experience, or to amplify the voices of others during a crisis.” Phillips notes that it is important to recognize that often sharing information “feels like it’s helping” but can “also lead to harm, especially when the content you’re sharing turns out to be misleading or false.” Ultimately, she emphasizes that regardless of your status online, “treating your online presence as if you’re inconsequential, no matter how few followers you have, can be dangerous.”