Last Monday I posted on 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鈥檚 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: 鈥淭hank you for sharing this, and for speaking for the majority of people.鈥�
At the last count the post had had 225k impressions.
On Wednesday I w, 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鈥檛 feel my earlier post did her justice.
Her friend Helen Bingley replied: 鈥淗ello Chris, I knew Beccy well and what you have written in tribute is beautiful. I am in touch with Beccy鈥檚 dad Roy and he is deeply moved by your words.鈥�
I was humbled. When I last checked the post had received 181k impressions.
鈥楽ocial media firms may need tighter regulation鈥� 鈥� Andy Burnham
I don鈥檛 consider myself an 鈥榠nfluencer鈥� but people tell me I have a degree of influence and I choose to use mine for good.
It鈥檚 the reason I do a good news blog on LinkedIn every Friday that only contains good news.
It鈥檚 had around four million impressions over the years and it鈥檚 my contribution to trying to change the narrative by focusing on only good news.
There鈥檚 a quote that I like. 鈥淲ith great power comes great responsibility.鈥� The phrase first appeared in the first Spider-Man comic and has been used a lot since.
There aren鈥檛 many comparisons between me and Elon Musk but look at how he uses his power.
I choose to use my modest 鈥榩ower鈥� for good but the man behind SpaceX, Tesla and the social media platform 鈥榅鈥�, 聽has chosen a different path.
Last week the tech billionaire posted that 鈥渃ivil war is inevitable鈥� 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鈥檇 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聽 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 鈥渞efusing to disperse and holding a stick at a library riot in Walton, West Yorkshire on Aug 4鈥�. Musk described it as 鈥渕essed up鈥�.
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鈥檇 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.
鈥淎s the officers were trying to regain control you were seen at the front of the mob, holding in your hand a wooden cosh 鈥� a small truncheon 鈥� which you plainly had with you to use as a weapon,鈥� Judge Menary told him.
鈥淲hen 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.鈥�
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: 鈥淣ever stop fighting for change. This is your debt to us, this should be the price of your power, that your never give up.鈥�
It鈥檚 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 老九品茶Cloud