Name: Meme
Reference: The Wikipedia article on Meme describes the origins of the concept. [1] addresses how memes in social media have become a key instrument of disinformation and manipulation.
Need to Act?
Memes are produced, often with an intention to mislead and be shared by users who connect with the meme's content. Users are mostly unaware of their vulnerability in social media, and are unaware of agents that intentionally want to exploit such vulnerability.
Description
In the context of social media, a meme is a type of online content that is usually visual and combines striking images with block text, and refers to other cultural, social, natural or media events. The reference to other events may be explicit but is usually implicit.
[1] describes how especially implicit references make memes impactful as they force the viewer to connect the dots in the reasoning (enthymeme). This in its turn pulls the viewer or user into sharing the meme, without checking its credibility.
Availability
Mostly in social media.
Call to Action - #ACT4SDGs
Digital skills training can make users aware of the disinformation tactics and their role in it.
Users should be aware that a meme without #tagcoding hashtag has the potential to cause confusion, and may have been created or shared with that purpose.
If we come across a meme without a #tagcoding hashtag, #tagcoding it, or looking up coded content about it, may be one way to contextualize it and help in explaining whether it is true or not. If #tagcoding is not possible