Picture this: You are driving on the highway, traffic is really bad and you see that there's a protest taking place. You head on to social media (although you shouldn't text and drive) and there you see a hashtag trending about this protest. The posts on social media might be talking about danger and violence, but as you get closer you see that it is a peaceful protest.

So, do you just drive past the protest and start to think about dinner instead, or do you pull over, head to your own social media account and inform other users that this protest seems to be peaceful?

While it might be easier to just go about your day and mind your own business, maybe it's time to start broadcasting your true news online.

Let's take a closer look at why the everyday person should be actively broadcasting from our devices:

It is accessible to many

A mom might have just dropped her child off at daycare and is on her way to the N1 when she hears that there's a protest nearby and immediately goes into a panic. She wonders what would happen if the protest came close to the daycare where her child is, or what would happen to her car while driving past the protest.

This is why sharing updates is important. She then opens up Twitter and sees a person with the username 'average ordinary everyday superhero' (AKA potentially you!) post a video showing that the protest is peaceful and there is nothing to worry about. She can now rest assured that her child is safe and she can travel her normal route, although the traffic will just be slightly worse.

The moment you post videos about events and news taking place around you, countless people will have access to it.

This means that your peers don't have to get in front of a TV or try and surf the radio network until they find the news they're looking for. Instead, when you broadcast news from your device, you'll be able to help out the people around you. This includes that very mum who lives on your block.

It shows more than one perspective

Many times, people will look at the news and only see or hear what they want to — this is especially true on social media, thanks to algorithms. Now the same goes for journalists that have a certain goal or agenda in mind. If there are two sides to a story, it might happen that only one side will actually be told in full.

So, this is where the everyday person comes in. They can take a video or post content while in the middle of a protest, for example, showing the other sides of that story. The same goes if you witness an accident on the freeway and report it on an app like Waze. In this instance, you saw what truly happened, meaning that you have the power to directly report the facts. What a hero!

It is authentic

All news that is being broadcasted has been edited and adjusted either to only highlight the most important points or to ensure that the programme does not run overtime.

Breaking news might be the only news that is unedited since it is something that is happening at that moment and being broadcasted live. With news being edited, it doesn't mean that it is not factually true, but it does take away from the authenticity of the news.

The moment an everyday person picks up their phone and starts broadcasting news online it is just that much more authentic. Why? Well, that is because the content is raw and unedited. With fake news, misinformation and disinformation being prominent on social media, you can be the superhero to help show the truth!

What are some other reasons you think the everyday person should be broadcasting news? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

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If you are actively consuming the news, be sure to read more about Misinformation, disinformation and fake news: What readers should know.
*Image courtesy of Pexels