OPINION: Influencers and Lockdown 2.0 – We Need To Take A Good Look At Who We’re Giving Power To Right Now
Is it just me, or do things seem rather different this time round?
When we first entered lockdown in March, I remember noticing the icon on my phone that normally says who my network provider is, instead scrolled ‘Vodafone – Stay Safe’.
It was an oddly comforting little gesture in a time of great fear and anxiety. We had each other’s backs – we were all in this together! Yes, it was scary and we were staring down great uncertainty in all areas of our lives – our health, jobs, finances, the wellbeing of our family and friends – but we were a team of five million! We could do this! We could break the chain to ensure the health of all New Zealanders!
Now, that message says ‘Vodafone – Stay Kind’.
I wondered if my phone had sensed the slight change in mood. Or if it was, perhaps, trying to tell me something after I had literally thrown my phone from my bed in anger an hour before.
After I had an eerily calm reaction to the news that we, in Auckland, were returning to Level 3 (I say eerily because in the last few months my nerves have been so frayed that even the ding of an incoming email can make me jump out of my skin), things inevitably changed. And within 12 hours I surprised myself with a new emotion.
Rage.
I dared to take a quick scroll through Facebook. The first post that popped up was from an old mate-of-a-mate who I’d been meaning to de-friend, accusing the Government and Dr Ashley Bloomfield of a cover-up and a mass conspiracy, and called for all Kiwis to revolt.
Ye Gods.
I rolled my eyes and kept scrolling, comforted that the rest of my feed was flooded with ‘We’ve been here before, NZ – we’ve got this! Go team of 5 mill!” “Yes, this is frustrating and a bit nerve wracking, but we can do it!”
Thank. Christ.
But by morning there were a few more posts around Instagram of a similar theme. By mid-morning that loony Facebook post was swamped with supportive messages, spouting conspiracies, a government coverup and a call to boycott facemasks.
WHAT? I’m sorry, but are we insane?
I mean, I realise the worst thing you can do in these situations is read the comment threads, but I was spellbound – I knew some of these people. I couldn’t even pass these off as bots gone wild.
Then, by the time a fifth person sent me screenshots of an influencer (who is today followed by 63k people who need to seriously rethink who they are giving oxygen to), encouraging her followers AGAINST getting a Covid-19 test, NOT to wear face masks in public and to STOP listening to the advice of the government, my hand starting twitching.
Then a friend sent me Pete Evans’ latest post of conspiracy lunacy and my phone flew out of my hand.
Are we really capable of being this unkind?
How have we given these particular influencers the time of day and allowed them to gain mass followings where they can spout theories that, if listened to, could result in poor health, or even death of fellow Kiwis?
For months I watched as Americans and Kiwis living abroad posted stories and memes about just wearing A GODDAMN MASK and sighed smug sighs, thankful to be living in New Zealand where we surely would have the decency and respect for our fellow Kiwis to put a bit of fabric over our face to SAVE LIVES.
Rather naively, I pictured us all putting our Kiwi ingenuity to good work, fashioning a homemade facemask out of Aunt Hilda’s old tea towel and a couple of paper clips.
But apparently, we’re not all trying to ‘Stay Safe’ and we’re certainly not all ‘Staying Kind’.
Now, good readers of Capsule, I know you’re likely reading this on your phone in the supermarket queue, a good six feet away from everyone with your facemask firmly in place, also irked that an influencer with no medical degree, no relevant expertise and no empathy would decide they know better than any government official or doctor. But where do we go from here?
I say we take a good look at who we are giving power to right now.
I went through yesterday and did a little spring clean of my social media, and then, to get some power back, reported the accounts of influencers who are using their platform to spout dangerous rhetoric. It’s as easy as going to their account on Instagram, pressing report, then clicking inappropriate content – false information.
My finger hovered over the comments too, before I tore myself away. It’s deliciously tempting to go on their threads and point out the inconsistencies, sheer insanities and complete recklessness of their claims, but in reality it’s just upping the engagement of their posts.
And also, quite frankly, I’m trying to cut down the amount of adrenaline and cortisol in my body right now. Which is why I also started following a bunch of accounts that just post cute kitten and baby goat videos.
I’ve also gone on a muting spree. I have friends with different political beliefs to my own, and normally that’s totally fine, but not this week. I don’t have the emotional capacity to be enraged every time I open my phone. Which is why I’m also vowing to keep my usage down to the bare minimum (apart from checking in on those cute animals, of course).
If you’re listening to all this noise and are not quite sure who to listen to, head to covid19.govt.nz for the latest, most accurate information. Watch the press briefings. Save social media for staying in touch with your pals, finding out what flavours of icecream are available at Duck Island, what that cute dude with 12 rescue dogs in LA is up to and for sharing information about how to help Women’s Refuge.
If you have health concerns, call your GP for advice, or Heathline, and if you’re showing any symptoms, go get tested. Yes, the queues are long at the moment – but there’s where we see evidence that there are so many Kiwis who are staying kind, and ensuring not just their own health and safety, but of those around them.
I’m going to keep looking out for the good – the helpers, the essential workers, the folks doing good and being kind over this time.
Let’s stay kind, NZ.
