Fun fact: since BlueSky is a relatively new social media platform it is very difficult to find information specific to Columbia or Howard County as a whole. You get the occasional reference to concerts at Merriweather or Columbia as a creation of Rouse’s idealistic vision. It just hasn’t had enough time to build up a large enough quantity of users from this area.
After this weekend there has been a big blip in Columbia/HoCo mentions. I’ll let you figure that out on your own.
*****
I often wonder about how people see us from the outside. I remember the grief we felt as a community after the Zumiez shooting at the Mall in 2014. The resultant surge in media coverage meant that the very first thing one found when searching “Columbia” on Google were stories about that horrific event. The actual tragedy was bad enough. Having it become our “face” to the outside world was demoralizing.
Internet searches form the basis of a lot of our individual research these days. You can check out a restaurant before you go, even looking at the menu and considering your dining options. There are sites that help you compare consumer products, research locations in preparation for a move, or investigate vacation possibilities.
And then there’s this.
12 Best Things to Do in Columbia Maryland
Notice anything? Do any of those locations ring a bell to you?
Naturally I clicked on over to the linked article. I must say that I found two of the recommended “things to do” rather odd.
Aside from the fact that the Second Chance Saloon doesn’t exist anymore, is there anything else that stands out?
It isn’t the Second Chance Saloon. It’s Second Chance in Baltimore. And it’s not a saloon, it’s a retail establishment. They describe themselves as a “Quirky secondhand shop featuring furniture, building supplies, art & gifts in warehouse–like digs.”
A fun place to visit, absolutely. But this is a completely avoidable error. How much can “Travel Blaze” care about guiding and informing readers when they don’t even check their work?
Again: this is in Baltimore. It has no connection to Blaindair Park. What the heck?
This dubious article comes from TravelBlaze, which has a website and maintains an account on Pinterest. It appears to be the work of one person, although - - are we sure it is even a person?
I can almost hear you rolling your eyes at this point. “It’s just content.” This person is making their money generating clicks, I guess. I wonder how much money that is, exactly?
A better question: why doesn’t it need to be accurate? I could continue at length on this train of thought but I’ll spare you. Mondays are hard enough without my starting your day with a rant.
If you wonder how the outside world sees us, maybe you also need to wonder where they’re getting their information. Sheesh.
Comments
Post a Comment