Social media twisting facts about Ruto's trip to the US

President William Ruto and the President of the United States of America Joe Biden hold talks at the White House, Washington, D.C. on May 23, 2024. [PCS]

No doubt, social media is here to stay. It is cheap, accessible and ubiquitous. It is also fast, many times, breaking news even as it unfolds. But it also has many downsides. It has spawned what is now known as the post-truth discourse. This discourse involves misinformation, disinformation, alternative facts, conspiracy theories and the general distrust of expert knowledge and official sources of information.

Purveyors of the post-truth discourse bank on emotional appeal rather than facts to influence public opinion. They use social media to whip up unfavourable sentiment especially against public figures or policy. Take for instance, President William Ruto's recently concluded State visit. Details selectively "revealed" by social media are causing hissy-fits in a large section of Kenyans.