Tell it like it is

A news items on Radio 4 recently discussed how people’s trust in social media news has fallen, and that traditional outlets such as the BBC and newspapers are seeing a resurgent increase in trust as news sources. As we have seen too often, outlets such as Facebook and Twitter can be used for propaganda and other bombastic purposes – is that a real Twitter user, or just a web-bot?

It’s sad, because often all we want to see are the photos of our nephew’s cute dogs and rabbits, or admire a friend’s swimming achievement. You cannot blame people for being tired of the half-baked items that pass for news on those platforms.

That being said, social media can be a useful tool for education, if put into the right hands. If nothing else, the past 18 months have shown us the hazard of relying on those that shout the loudest, rather than someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.

Thus, I applaud the Dairy UK, AHDB and The Dairy Council in the UK for their joint launch of Tell It Like It Is, a website to provide farmers (who are literally experts in their fields) with the tools for promoting the nutritional benefits of dairy to consumers via social media. It offers those who may not be fully conversant with best practice on social media with a toolkit containing information about nutritional benefits of dairy and how to convey it.

I suspect it will come in much use, as consumers continue to try and get proper information about their food products, and it seems a natural fit. Let the producer of the nutritious product tell you all about it. And, when all else fails, get someone who knows what they’re doing and who actually understands food and nutrition.

Check out the website at: www.tellitlikeitis.co.uk

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