# Filter and Label your Email

In an effort to declutter my inbox, I created two new filters. The first filter, following that of the example, filters all emails from [e-mail] into a separate folder, titled NU News. For my second filter, I wanted to have a folder specifically for my emails regarding Digital Communication assignments and submissions. To achieve this, I filtered any emails either to or from Professor Reagle into a separate folder, and also flagged any messages with the subject "hackmd." This should give me a cleaner way to look at the assignments I've submitted and to view any feedback from the professor.


However, not all attempts to filter are as innocent as creating new folders for your inbox. As discussed in [FS](https://fs.blog/filter-bubbles/), filter bubbles are formed when we only surround ourselves with content that supports our beliefs. As a society, we have become more polarized, more critical of the media, and further from democracy. The failure to find a balance between media literacy and trust in provided information is "undoing the fabric of our country through polarization, distrust, and self-segregation" according to [Boyd](https://points.datasociety.net/did-media-literacy-backfire-7418c084d88d#.d46kox6e1).

But blind faith in any source is just as bad, as disinformation - information that is both incorrect and intends to cause harm - further divides communities. [Claire Wardle](https://firstdraftnews.org/long-form-article/understanding-information-disorder/) shares seven main types of disinformation, that vary in severity. Just on September 28, 2022, there was a current example of disinformation which is misleading content placed in a false context, acting as two of the most prevalent forms of disinformation.

Senator Marsha Blackburn shared the following tweet, claiming that President Biden "just" told people impacted by Hurricane Ian that getting vaccinated would help them to "avoid complications."


This statement is misleading, as Biden's full statement explained that getting vaccinated would help as people are evacuated and sheltering so that they don't have to worry about the threat of COVID on top of the hurricane. He in no way claims that vaccinations affect the severity of the weather. Even more egregious, this video of the President was from August 10, 2021, not about the current hurricane, and at a time when the threat of COVID was even more serious. The full video of the President's briefing is below.

<iframe width="876" height="493" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I-KKvYBYIZ4" title="President Biden Receives a Briefing on How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Impacting Hurricane Preparedness" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This example of disinformation is concerning, as it is one of many examples of disinformation being used as a political weapon. There will be real consequences come election time if people believe everything that they have seen online. Stories like this spread and influence voters, like in this TikTok, with comments from people completely unaware of the context of Biden's message.

<iframe width="327" height="581" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LgnaYUPJ3eY" title="DISINFORMATION" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This is a concerning threat to the fabric of our country and worth a nuanced discussion around popping filter bubbles and exposing ourselves to different opinions, perspectives, and sources with an open mind. That's the only way back from our current society of polarization and division.