Emotional triggers and sensational headlines:

When you see headlines that are intentionally provocative or designed to elicit a strong emotional response, it may be a sign that the media producer is trying to manipulate your behavior. This can include headlines that use words like “shocking,” “scandalous,” or “outrageous” to grab your attention and get you to react emotionally.

For example, if you see a headline that reads “New Study Reveals [Sensational Topic]!” and it’s accompanied by a dramatic image or graphic, it may be designed to elicit an emotional response rather than provide a balanced or factual report. When we react emotionally, we often react irrationally (dogmatic behaviors and actions), which more often than not is the intended and desired response by the content producer. I should clarify, the “content producer” is not always the messenger. For instance, if you look at all the celebrity endorsements from this most recent political campaign cycle, you can tell which celebrities really believed the words or endorsements they were citing to their fans or whether they were doing it out of some sense of obligation. While I saw signs of this from both campaigns more so this cycle than in 2020, it seemed like it was more prevalent in one party this time around than the other. Especially if you watch the endorsements from those same celebrities in prior years for different candidates.

Confirmation bias and echo chambers:

When you only consume content that confirms your existing biases or perspectives, it can create an “echo chamber” effect. This can lead to a narrow and biased view of the world, and can make you more susceptible to manipulation.

For example, if you only read news outlets that share your political views, you may be missing out on diverse perspectives and fact-based reporting. This can make you more likely to believe misinformation or propaganda. The question I ask myself on this one is “Did I learn something NEW that I wasn’t previously aware of about this person, place or thing?” If the answer is both no and I feel good after consuming the content? than maybe I want to see how another source is reporting that same information if at all. Some media producers and social media influencers or in it exclsively for the fame and fortune of the priveledge of our time and attention. While others do what they do and are very good at it, because they do it for the love of the craft. It may take time to pick out which ones fall into which side of the spectrum, but in time it becomes obvious if you are being diligent and honest with yourself. A personal hack of mine to understand the influencer and most important their followers (or influencees…yup, just made it up. 🤫) is to hang out in their live chat streams. It’s there I often find it easy to understand or get more context around the influencer and broader arching narrative. Whether it be on political, financial or on social and cultural topics.

Loaded language and propaganda:

When you see language that is intentionally loaded or biased, it may be a sign that the media is trying to manipulate your behavior. This can include words like “liberal,” “conservative,” or “progressive,” which can be used to elicit a particular emotional response.

For example, if you see a report that uses language like “radical leftists” or “treasonous Republicans,” it may be designed to elicit an emotional response rather than provide a balanced or factual report.

Celebrity endorsements and influencers:

When celebrities or influencers promote products or ideas, it can be a sign that the media is trying to manipulate your behavior. This can include sponsored content, product placements, or social media campaigns that are designed to influence your purchasing decisions.

For example, if you see a celebrity endorsing a product on social media, it may be designed to create a false sense of endorsement or credibility. This can be particularly problematic if the celebrity has no expertise or qualifications to endorse the product.

Repetition and repetition:

When you see the same message or idea repeated over and over again, it can be a sign that the media is trying to manipulate your behavior. This can include repetition of the same talking point, the same statistic, or the same narrative.

When you see a news report that reuses the same talking point or narrative multiple times, it may be an attempt to create a false sense of consensus or elicit a specific emotional response. If multiple news sources, including a single outlet, use similar language to describe an event, it’s likely that the narrative is being intentionally driven to evoke a particular emotion.

Be cautious if all the major networks are presenting a one-sided view, where one perspective is consistently portrayed as good and the other as bad. These reports often prioritize commentary over facts, making it essential to approach the subject with a critical eye and verify information through more diligent research.

Thinking back on the most recent 2024 campaign cycle, where and how you were getting updates and news on the different campaigns, is it possible we have been manipulated?!

By being aware of these signs, you can take steps to critically evaluate the media you consume and make more informed decisions about the information you choose to believe.