Collin Searle, who leads Intermountain's social media efforts, offers some tips on how to respond to dissenters online.
What if your friend is basing objections on a flawed premise or questionable research? What if you feel that the very strategies they are promoting or the philosophies they are embracing could put your family or even yourself at risk? When and how can you move the needle with non-believers? When should you figuratively walk away from such discussions?
Collin Searle, the communications director over Intermountain’s social media efforts, has been around the block a few times when it comes to responding to dissenting opinions on social media. Here’s some of his advice for effective social media exchanges:
Don’t take it personal if someone challenges your post. “You do have to remove yourself from the conversation and you have to hear what people are saying, whether you think it's right or wrong. It’s a new type of online debate we’re seeing now but you need to take yourself out of it and provide just the bare facts when responding in the most human way possible. A response that begins with hearing and empathy will find the common ground fastest. It’s the true spirit of debate.”
Don’t make your response personal. “Try to stay out of a ‘I’m right, you’re wrong,’ or ‘This is right or this is wrong’ mindset. Don’t make them feel you’re trying to prove to them why you’re right because if you do, it will be a losing battle. Remember we’re in a time that information is changing daily and at the core we’re dealing with a health and human pandemic. We should draw on our own research to offer more people information. Responding with an opinion to counter an opinion is not very effective.”
“Instead of saying, ‘Here's some information that proves you're wrong.’ You're saying, ‘Here's some interesting information you may want to consider.’ Make it about offering them information that may help them draw their own conclusions.” If you criticize them personally or a leader they support, you’ll lose the ability to be effective. Ask yourself, “Do you want to make a difference or just make someone angry?”
Do your homework. Know what the latest and most credible research is showing. We have access to clinical information that has been vetted by our own experts that may be helpful to them. “It's about highlighting the health and wellness side of the story, with which we have first-hand experience, and a lost part of many polarizing conversations.”
The latest and best advice has changed as we’ve learned more about the virus. Recognize some people see those changes as evidence that nothing the experts say can be trusted instead of proof our understandings are evolving. “It's okay to change if we learn something new; we need to be able to evolve with the findings. If you make information the centerpiece of what you’re sharing, you have a better chance of having a productive conversation.”
Intermountain’s Facebook page is a good place to start. We share regular live videos featuring Eddie Stenehjem, MD, and other experts who are a great source of information. The page also regularly features information debunking common COVID-19 myths. There are also links at the end of each Caregiver Daily Brief to helpful resources for COVID-19 questions.
Choose your words carefully. Realize the limitations of exchanges that don’t include nonverbal cues. Someone could read your response with a completely different tone than you intended. A terse answer may be interpreted negatively. “Try smiling as you write a Facebook post. That can sometimes help.”
Be careful if you notice disputes erupting independent of you under your posts. “That one gets really tricky really fast and it can quickly spiral out of control. A key is to see yourself as a moderator and help people focus on the health issues being discussed without tying them to politics.” Your own Facebook page is yours to control, so you can take down posts if they aren’t generating the type of discussion you’d like to encourage.
If an exchange starts to escalate, ask yourself, “Is it worth losing a friend over this?” “Sometimes you just need to say, ‘I’ve got to tap out’ for whatever the reason.”
Try to understand other viewpoints. Don’t assume you know someone’s reasons for disagreeing or decide someone is not thinking things through carefully just because they’ve come to different conclusions than you have. Understanding doesn’t equal agreeance, but it does help you get to a more empathetic place.
Resist the urge to throw in one last snarky comment loaded with sarcasm. Humor and sarcasm used, without the benefit of your reader hearing your tone or seeing your facial expressions, can easily go awry. Humor can easily be misunderstood and unintentionally offend people who can’t hear or see you make your point. “Snark really only plays well with groups who are in agreeance with you.”
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