When sharing a rapid news cycle, how do we share information that is validated and attributed?
"Speed of light" used to be the moniker for things "moving fast", e.g. "oh wow that happened at the speed of light".
It's worth mentioning that these days, especially with a never-pausing news cycle, there's something to be said for "moves at the speed of information".
e.g. The current news cycle in the United States is paced at "the speed of information". When it feels like we're spreading Breaking News, or life saving information, it feels more urgent to spread the information than almost anything else.
This is a very "yes, and" sentiment!
Now is a great time to build a practice for how you can personally handle sharing things at the speed of information, which will have the double impact of making sure the information is 1 ) correct and 2 ) attributed.
When you see information you wish to share, esp if it's a news headline:
1. Do a quick search with your engine of choice (
,
)
2. Credit both sources
For # 2: this is because you have two sources, not one. *Your* sources are whatever post you saw that prompted your search *and* the results of the search.
Verifying in this way also has the double benefit of ensuring the original author is credited, which is doubly important for marginalized voices.
Let's use today's news about #DOGE and the #NLRB (labor data) for practice!
1. There's a
post making rounds about DOGE + NLRB data
2. A quick search shows that the original source is an
article by Jenna McLaughlin.
So that means when *I* post about it, my sources are: MattJay AND Jenna McLaughlin. *I* have *two* sources.
To capture this, I might make a post like:
There is a story breaking about #DOGE gaining access to #NLRB data! Sources are Jenna McLaughlin @ NPR:
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/15/nx-s1-5355896/doge-nlrb-elon-musk-spacex-security
There is also additional analysis circulating by MattJay:
https://bsky.app/profile/mattjay.com/post/3ln2dgoksce2e
====
Posting like this:
1. Credits both sources
2. Fact checks and attributes
3. Isn't accusing
For # 3: It doesn't matter to my post what anyone else is or isn't doing. (And I would need to validate my own accusation.)
My only goals should be to validate and attribute what I wish to share.