Right now, we live online. It’s where we gather for everything from breaking news to major life moments. It’s our connection and lifeline to the conversations shaping our communities every day.
But in the storm of posts, reels, and status updates, it can be hard to break through the noise. Our tips will help you get a handle on your feed and put power behind your posts.
- Let us do the heavy lifting. Our social media channels are consistently curating content so you don’t have to. Just follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Bluesky, and share what we’re posting. By spreading the word to your friends and family, you’ll be expanding our reach and ensuring broader support for medical aid in dying. Hot tip: interact with our posts, and platform algorithms will be more likely to keep showing you our content.
- Do read the comments – and respond. Our opposition is following medical aid in dying conversations online to discredit reasonable, factual arguments in the comments. When you’re reading a new article, a blog post, or a post on social media, check in with the comments to see where the conversation stands, and if you notice someone on the attack, respond. Remember, you’re not trying to change that person’s mind; you’re demonstrating to anyone else reading that their statement is questionable.
- Stick to the facts. Behind their keyboards, people often resort to personal attacks more quickly than they would in face-to-face conversation. Combined with the speed and emotion of social media, conversations can quickly become a powder keg of insults and personal attacks. Don’t get dragged down in that. If someone responds with vitriol, they’re unlikely to be in a place where you can change their mind. Share your personal story and the facts about medical aid in dying, and move on.
- Consider the source. Misinformation abounds on social media, and sharing even well-meaning but inaccurate information can hurt the cause more than it helps. Before you share content, consider some questions: Do you recognize the source, or is it easily verified? Is it written in a way you’d expect from a professional news source? Is it politically motivated? Make sure to verify anything that raises red flags before you re-share it.
- Report false information. Social platforms offer tools to help identify and report misinformation. If you find out that something is untrue, don’t let it continue to spread through our feeds. Report it and help stop it instead. Most platforms allow you to do this by clicking the three dots in the top right-hand corner of a post and selecting the reporting option.
Tag your elected officials — and flag that you’re a constituent. Find your legislators on social media and follow their pages. (check here if you need help finding their names), and follow their pages. When you post about medical aid in dying, tag them by putting an @ sign before their names, and mention that you’re one of their constituents and want them to support the cause. A constant reminder of the issue helps ensure it stays on their minds and can make them more likely to support our efforts at crucial moments.
