For the uninitiated, this has nothing to do with archaeology or a shovel. And it’s not a spelling error. So then, you ask, what does this mean?
Social news sites on the internet are the latest battle grounds for hearts and minds. They’re web sites where people share links to news articles and others find them. Users of social news sites often organize themselves into groups of like-minded individuals, who stay up-to-date on news and developments of interest to them by reading news that their “friends” submit to the site. In addition to becoming someone’s friend, users can also become a fan of other users and monitor the news they’re posting. News links are placed in loose categories and rise in prominence and attention when people vote for them. On one social news site those votes are called “diggs”, which harkens back to the good old days when friends would ask “can you dig it, man?” Users can also vote against a digg by clicking the “bury” icon, reducing the link’s ranking and even preventing it from showing up in topical listings. That particular site is called Digg, and it is one of the most popular and active social news sites on the internet.
In addition to digging articles, users can post comments and replies to the news links submitted by anyone else. Then the comments can be dug or buried, just like a news link.
Now you’re asking, how does this translate into a battle for hearts and minds?
Users can share links to almost anything and they can say almost anything they want in their comments. And this is exactly what they do. What this all adds up to are pro-Israel and anti-Israel diggs and comments. Some are blatantly anti-Semitic, some are plain lies, and others are inaccurate. Reminiscent of the four sons, the battle for hearts and minds lies among the uninformed readers, who may get a false understanding of the conflict from people with an anti-Israel and anti-Semitic agenda. The first line of battle, from afar, is the posting of links to news articles supporting a cause. The pitched battles take place on the comment-field, where writers contradict news articles and each other, often getting nasty and slinging mud. They also digg and bury each other’s links and comments.
This is where you come in. You can show your support for Israel and help shape public opinion by digging stories on Digg. Sign up for membership and search for links to articles containing the word Israel. If you agree with the article or feel that it supports or portrays the truth, click the digg button. If you feel the opposite you can click the bury button. The same goes for comments. Anti-Israel or anti-Semitic comments, or comments that are just plain lies, can be buried and hidden from future readers if enough people click the thumbs-down bury button. This is all very intuitive and once you get comfortable you’ll find yourself adding people to your friends list, digging news stories of your own and posting comments to other people’s posts. You can also find “friends” by looking at other people’s friend lists.
The result may just be that you’ve helped shaped someone’s view or understanding of Israel, or possibly changed someone’s mind. You’ll also feel the satisfaction of voicing your opinions to the world, fighting for the truth. Follow this link to Digg to get started.
Other sites such as reddit, deli.icio.us and StumbleUpon will also let you share your viewpoint and news to shape public opinion.
Start digging, and have fun!
No comments:
Post a Comment