A collage of different popular memes

Misinformation is common in memes. What’s wrong with the two on the right? (One hint: On the Powerball meme, do the math!)

The Sneaky Truth About Memes

Those attention-grabbing images and videos you’re so quick to share may be more powerful than you realize. Here’s what you need to know before you pass them on.

The moment you see the meme, you know you have to share it. The sarcastic caption cracks you up, and you love that the photo is from one of your favorite movies. You quickly repost the image—and you aren’t the only one. Within hours, the meme has been viewed millions of times.

Sure, the caption is funny and all, but the image’s popularity is more about how it was presented—as a meme, or a bite-sized piece of digital content that’s copied and shared widely online. Memes include everything from animated images to TikTok challenges, and their use is growing. Instagram reported that users shared more than 1 million meme-related posts a day on its app in 2020.

The moment you see the meme, you know you have to share it. The sarcastic caption cracks you up, and you love that the photo is from one of your favorite movies. You quickly repost the image. But you aren’t the only one. Within hours, the meme gains millions of views.

Sure, the caption is funny and all, but the image’s popularity is more about its format. It’s a meme, or a bite-sized piece of digital content that’s copied and shared widely online. Memes include everything from animated images to TikTok challenges. And the popularity of these type of images is growing. In fact, Instagram reported that users shared more than 1 million meme-related posts a day on its app in 2020.

Humor is also a common device in memes. How does this one make light of a very difficult situation?

Memes have a surprising power: They can influence how you view and respond to the world around you. But the “facts” they contain can sometimes be false or misleading. And knowing exactly who made a meme—and why—can be almost impossible to determine.

That’s why it’s important to take a closer look before you repost one, explains Jennifer LaGarde, a digital literacy expert from Olympia, Washington. “We see memes as silly grumpy-cat stuff, but they are highly effective tools,” she says. “They spread very fast, and people want to share them.”

Memes have a surprising power: They can influence how you view and respond to the world around you. But the “facts” they contain can sometimes be false or misleading. And knowing exactly who made a meme—and why—can be almost impossible to determine.

That’s why it’s important to take a closer look before you repost one, explains Jennifer LaGarde, a digital literacy expert from Olympia, Washington. “We see memes as silly grumpy-cat stuff, but they are highly effective tools,” she says. “They spread very fast, and people want to share them.”

Influencing Opinions

Part of memes’ appeal is that they can shrink complicated issues into easily digestible snapshots. But that’s also a reason for caution, says Jamie Cohen, assistant professor of media studies at CUNY Queens College in New York City. After all, meme creators decide which part of an issue to reveal—and in doing so, they can influence your opinion.

For example, sports fans might make memes about their team’s biggest win—not mentioning that the team has lost every other game. People who don’t know any better might see those memes and assume that the team is one of the best. Or those engaged with politics might create memes that don’t share any opposing viewpoints, so people hear only one side of an argument.

Some creators go even further and use memes for disinformation—intentionally sharing false messages. They use images, videos, and text to spread harmful ideas, such as prejudice against certain groups.

Part of memes’ appeal is that they can make complicated issues easier to understand. But that’s also a reason for caution, says Jamie Cohen, assistant professor of media studies at CUNY Queens College in New York City. After all, meme creators decide which part of an issue to reveal. As a result, these creators can influence your opinion.

For example, sports fans might make memes about their team’s biggest win. They might not mention that the team has lost every other game. People who don’t know any better might see those memes and assume that the team is one of the best. Or those engaged with politics might create memes that don’t share any opposing viewpoints, so people hear only one side of an argument.

Some creators go even further and use memes to share false messages. They use images, videos, and text to spread harmful ideas, such as prejudice against certain groups.

Instagram users shared more than 1 million meme-related posts a day in 2020.

The government and other agencies that track memes “have found that
they are a favorite tool for people who want to spread conspiracy theories, who want to spread propaganda, who want to spread hate and xenophobia, “LaGarde says.

That kind of content isn’t always easy to spot. Some is hidden as a word or symbol within innocent-looking memes. “The messages can only be read by an inside group” that knows what to look for, Cohen says. Users who share such memes end up promoting the negative message—often without realizing it.

Even if you don’t share hurtful memes, viewing negative content can still cause harm. Researchers have found that repeatedly seeing the same false information can make you more likely to believe it.

The government and other agencies that track memes “have found that they are a favorite tool for people who want to spread conspiracy theories, who want to spread propaganda, who  want to spread hate and xenophobia,” LaGarde says.

That kind of content isn’t always easy to spot. Some is hidden as a word or symbol within innocent-looking memes. “The messages can only be read by an inside group” that knows what to look for, Cohen says. Users who share such memes end up promoting the negative message. Often, they’ve done so without realizing it.

Even if you don’t share hurtful memes, viewing negative content can still cause harm. Researchers have found that repeatedly seeing the same false information can make you more likely to believe it.

‘Too Many Red Flags’

Just for fun: TikTok dance challenges also count as memes, though many don’t have messages.

The best way to avoid sharing problematic memes is to trust your instincts, LaGarde says. Ask yourself: How does this make me feel? If a meme triggers a strong reaction—especially a negative one such as fear or anger—hold off (see “How to Read a Meme,” below).

“If the emotion is really intense, and especially if it causes you to feel something negative about another person or group of people, that’s a sign that should make you think, ‘Hmm, I should stay away from this,’ ” LaGarde says.

When your first reaction is to laugh, think about why—and whether a meme’s creator might be using humor to hide another message. One trick to figuring out a meme’s meaning is to put it in your own words, Cohen says.

When a meme includes something that sounds factual, read more about the topic from trustworthy sources, such as government or university websites. Then use your new knowledge to decide whether the meme seems accurate. (Just doing a search using a meme’s exact wording might pull up more content from the same creator and not necessarily the truth.)

If you’re still not sure about a meme, err on the side of caution by not liking or sharing it, LaGarde says. “You may never be able to determine if that meme is 100 percent credible,” she explains. “But you can determine if there are too many red flags to engage with it.”

The best way to avoid sharing problematic memes is to trust your instincts, LaGarde says. Ask yourself: How does this make me feel? If a meme triggers a strong reaction, hold off. That’s even more important to do when memes make you feel negative emotions like fear or anger (see “How to Read a Meme,” below).

“If the emotion is really intense, and especially if it causes you to feel something negative about another person or group of people, that’s a sign that should make you think, ‘Hmm, I should stay away from this,’ ” LaGarde says.

When your first reaction is to laugh, think about why. Then think about whether a meme’s creator might be using humor to hide another message. One trick to figuring out a meme’s meaning is to put it in your own words, Cohen says.

When a meme includes something that sounds factual, read more about the topic from trustworthy sources, such as government or university websites. Then use your new knowledge to decide whether the meme seems accurate. (Just doing a search using a meme’s exact wording might pull up more content from the same creator. That might not necessarily be the truth.)

If you’re still not sure about a meme, it’s best not to like or share it, LaGarde says. “You may never be able to determine if that meme is 100 percent credible,” she explains. “But you can determine if there are too many red flags to engage with it.”

How To Read a Meme

Here’s how to evaluate a new meme that pops up in your feed—as well as important questions to ask yourself before sharing the content.

STUDY THE WORDS

Meme creators make certain terms stand out to trigger your emotions—so you’ll be more likely to share the memes without thinking. Ask: Why might these words be emphasized? How do they make me feel?

THINK CRITICALLY

What a meme says might sound good, but does it actually make sense? Does it contradict facts you know to be true? If you aren’t sure, check with a reliable source, such as a government or university website.

CHECK YOUR FEELINGS

Humorous memes can be fine, as long as they aren’t giving you a laugh at someone else’s expense. If a meme is making fun of a certain person or group, don’t share it.

SEIZE THE DAY

Think about the timing of the meme. How does it relate to events that are going on in the world? Why would someone want you to see this meme today rather than a month ago?

STUDY THE WORDS

Meme creators make certain terms stand out to trigger your emotions—so you’ll be more likely to share the memes without thinking. Ask: Why might these words be emphasized? How do they make me feel?

THINK CRITICALLY

What a meme says might sound good, but does it actually make sense? Does it contradict facts you know to be true? If you aren’t sure, check with a reliable source, such as a government or university website.

CHECK YOUR FEELINGS

Humorous memes can be fine, as long as they aren’t giving you a laugh at someone else’s expense. If a meme is making fun of a certain person or group, don’t share it.

SEIZE THE DAY

Think about the timing of the meme. How does it relate to events that are going on in the world? Why would someone want you to see this meme today rather than a month ago?

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