Last Monday I posted on LinkedIn about a Muslim team-mate of mine at White Coppice Cricket Club called Ibrahim ‘Ibby’ Akram.
He works as a paramedic and had been subjected to racial abuse in the aftermath of the Southport attack.
His response was to organise a minute’s silence before our game with Whittle-le-Woods to show his support – and those of the Muslim community – to the people of Southport.
Ziara Siddique spoke for most people when she replied: “Thank you for sharing this, and for speaking for the majority of people.”
At the last count the post had had 225k impressions.
On Wednesday I wrote a blog after attending the funeral of newsreader-turned-firefighter Beccy Barr, who died of cancer.
I was so deeply moved by the service that I decided to write a second tribute to the 46-year-old because I didn’t feel my earlier post did her justice.
Her friend Helen Bingley replied: “Hello Chris, I knew Beccy well and what you have written in tribute is beautiful. I am in touch with Beccy’s dad Roy and he is deeply moved by your words.”
I was humbled. When I last checked the post had received 181k impressions.
‘Social media firms may need tighter regulation’ – Andy Burnham
I don’t consider myself an ‘influencer’ but people tell me I have a degree of influence and I choose to use mine for good.
It’s the reason I do a good news blog on LinkedIn every Friday that only contains good news.
It’s had around four million impressions over the years and it’s my contribution to trying to change the narrative by focusing on only good news.
There’s a quote that I like. “With great power comes great responsibility.” The phrase first appeared in the first Spider-Man comic and has been used a lot since.
There aren’t many comparisons between me and Elon Musk but look at how he uses his power.
I choose to use my modest ‘power’ for good but the man behind SpaceX, Tesla and the social media platform ‘X’, has chosen a different path.
Last week the tech billionaire posted that “civil war is inevitable” following the violent unrest in the UK after the Southport murders.
He seem to have ignored the fact that many of the far right protests that took place in the UK were fuelled by misinformation spread on social media platforms like his own.
Remember it was Musk who reinstated the accounts of Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) and Katie Hopkins after they’d previously been banned by the platform.
Musk sees himself as the defender of free speech, which is a laudable aim but is wide of the mark when he chooses to highlight the case of William Nelson Morgan , who was jailed for his role in the recent riots.
He reshared a post to his 193.7m followers on X that claimed the pensioner had been jailed for for two years and eight months for “refusing to disperse and holding a stick at a library riot in Walton, West Yorkshire on Aug 4”. Musk described it as “messed up”.
For the purpose of accuracy it was Walton in Liverpool not West Yorkshire and the offence was committed on August 3, not August 4.
I looked at the sentencing remarks of The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Andrew Menary KC, in relation to 69-year-old Morgan.
According to the transcript he’d been part of a crowd of about 100 people who were running amok, setting fire to bins and damaging local property including a community hub and library.
“As the officers were trying to regain control you were seen at the front of the mob, holding in your hand a wooden cosh – a small truncheon – which you plainly had with you to use as a weapon,” Judge Menary told him.
“When officers tried to arrest you, you resisted with such force that it took three officers to detain you. Later, when asked about the cosh you said you had it with you for your own protection.”
I believe in free speech but I also believe in the truth and presenting all the facts. By passing off misinformation, Musk has become part of the problem.
I interviewed Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham last week and he said that tighter regulation of social media companies may be needed.
As we spoke I was struck by a message on a piece of paper that was stuck on the wall next to a painting of a homeless person.
It was from a woman called Jo Barker-Marsh and was said a Debt Justice event on April 24th, 2024, in the run-up to the recent mayoral election.
Message by Jo Barker-Marsh in Andy Burnham’s office
It read: “Never stop fighting for change. This is your debt to us, this should be the price of your power, that your never give up.”
It’s such a powerful message and Burnham has chosen to remind himself of it every single day.
Later tonight Musk will be interviewing Donald Trump on X. Both men could do with remembering that that with great power comes great responsibility.
- Chris Maguire is the Executive Editor of BusinessCloud