Social Media: A Mirror of Our Humanity

June 30th is World Social Media Day, a date that invites us to reflect on the digital world. That dominates how we connect with each other. And if there’s one thing we must acknowledge, it’s the positive impact they’ve had on our lives.

Just two decades ago, maintaining a long-distance friendship meant waiting for letters that took weeks to arrive. Or making phone calls so expensive they lasted only a few minutes. Today, with just a click, we can see the face of a loved one on the other side of the ocean in real time. Celebrate their birthdays, comfort them on their bad days, and feel close even though thousands of miles separate us.

But their influence goes far beyond the personal. They have created communities that didn’t exist before. They have changed the way we work and do business; they have democratized access to information. And given a voice to groups that were historically silenced. Allowing a citizen’s complaint to have as much reach as the front page of a major newspaper.

Social media has taught us to connect in a more horizontal and participatory way. Where anyone can express their opinion, share, and build collective knowledge. It has allowed culture to flow like never before, breaking down geographical barriers. And bringing us closer to realities very different from our own. Thus fostering a global empathy that was previously unthinkable.

In the specific case of Cuba, the massive arrival of these platforms has been a true silent revolution. Although the first internet connection on the island dates back to 1996. For many years it was a privilege available to very few, restricted to research centers and certain institutions. It wasn’t until 2014 that the first public Wi-Fi zones began. To be installed in parks and plazas, and for many Cubans, that moment was historic.

For the first time, ordinary people could sit on a bench with a phone or tablet and open a Facebook account. To write a tweet, or chat on WhatsApp with their relatives abroad. Also that completely changed life on the island. Then, with the improvement of mobile telephony and the arrival of more affordable data plans. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, access skyrocketed, and the networks became the main bridge uniting Cuban families separated by distance. This connection has been an emotional lifeline for thousands of people who, otherwise, would barely hear from their loved ones.

However, just as these tools have opened wonderful doors, they have also allowed toxic air currents to enter. Therein lies the great challenge. The same speed that allows us to virtually hug a friend is what makes fake news travel faster than light. In Cuba, this phenomenon of disinformation has a particularly dangerous aspect.

Since the increase in connectivity, campaigns have been detected that seek to distort the reality of the island. These campaigns take advantage of real everyday problems. Such as economic challenges, and exaggerate them or take them out of context to generate panic, discontent, and internal division. The speed at which these hoaxes circulate is so high that official clarifications. When they arrive, often struggle against the tide and rarely recover lost ground.

This asymmetry turns these platforms into fertile ground for post-truth. Also where whatever generates the most clicks and reactions, even if it’s a lie, ends up prevailing over rigorous journalism. But the problem doesn’t stop at simple deception. These fake news stories are meticulously designed to tug at our deepest emotions. Such as fear or outrage, fragmenting social consensus and eroding trust in institutions.

Given this complex landscape, the responsibility cannot fall solely on the tech giants. Although it is urgent to demand greater transparency in their algorithms and a more effective fight against automated accounts. The solution requires a fundamental change in how we consume information.

We must learn to enjoy all the wonder that social media offers us. So because it is an amplified reflection of our humanity, with all its light and shadow. They allow us to mobilize for just causes, forge incredible bonds of solidarity, and feel part of something bigger. They also run the risk of plunging us into a deafening noise where fiction competes on equal footing with truth.

Therefore, on this World Social Media Day, let’s enjoy the magic of connecting with the world. Learning something new every day, and feeling close to those who are far away. But let’s do so with the awareness that uncritical connectivity makes us complicit in deception. While connectivity with critical thinking and responsibility has the ethical power to transform a passive audience into a truly informed, united, and resilient society.