Q: Any “information hygiene” tips for tomorrow?
A: Don’t expect resolution on election night. Fact-check (!!!). Take a purposeful pause prior to sharing information.
Background:
Tomorrow’s going to be a rough day on the information frontlines. How can we prepare? Knowledge is power, and here’s what the experts* want us to know:
1️⃣ First: Brace for the possibility that we won’t know the winner for a while.
Some states’ laws allow for early processing/counting of mail-in ballots, while others don’t. Differences in reporting time are the result of FEDERALISM – not fraud. We should celebrate the slow lane, not disparage it.
2️⃣ Second: Recognize early exit poll data for what it is – a wildly inaccurate guess.
Exit polls can badly mislead even in the best of times. And these are not the best of times.
3️⃣ Third: Stay vigilant about taking in and sharing out (mis)information.
Our brains are swimming in a soup of uncertainty and anxiety – making each and every one of us vulnerable to believing and spreading inaccurate or misleading information. How can we avoid unintentionally propagating the “infodemic?” By fact-checking our info (Google Fact Checker tool is great – link below). And by taking a pause prior to sharing out information…..an approach backed by experimental evidence (cite below). When in doubt, do as Daniel Tiger does and “take a deep breath….and count to four.”
In conclusion:
Stepping away from the news until polls begin closing at 6 pm EST may be the safest and sanest approach. But if that’s not possible (yours truly, Nerdy Girl Lindsey, will certainly “cheat” 😀) then be sure to rely on a trusted source. We like the AP election hub site.
Hang in there, community. Grateful we’re able to support each other through the excruciating tension of the final sprint.
Resources:
NY Times – When Will the Presidential Race Be Called? Here’s What to Know.
The Economist – What to watch for on election night, and beyond
538 – When Will We Know 2024 Election Results?
NOTE: This post was originally written by Nerdy Girl Dr. Lindsey Leininger on November 2, 2020. References below are from the original.
REFERENCES:
(*Expert round-up)
Those Nerdy Girls’ post on uncertainty’s effects on decision-making
