‘Do not take everything as gospel’ - DJ urges responsible use of social media

Disc jockey and social media personality Trippple X is cautioning people to be smart about where they get their information, particularly the precautionary measures to take amid the spread of COVID-19.

"People are not recognising the difference between news that is fake and real. On social media, 70 per cent is bulls**t and instead of doing their own research, they are taking everything as gospel," Trippple X told THE WEEKEND STAR. "About 10 different persons at a time are advertising home-made hand sanitisers, and maybe only one out of all of them would get the CDC (Center for Disease Control) to approve their methods and ingredients. People there mixing up all sorts of things which will create a bed for bacteria to grow."

He said that while persons are forced to stay at home, they should educate themselves.

Financial problems

"There is a high level of confidence persons have in social media, especially when they are not well-informed, but we can't take everything as gospel. Then, there are those who are at risk of putting themselves into financial problems," he said. "Many of us in entertainment - selectors, dancers and the vendors them - are without work ... no events mean no income stream, so people a bawl; and if you never tuck away ah money, nuff a drown right now inna them own tears."

Aside from practising social distancing, he said Jamaicans, who are naturally social animals, need to know how to be tech-savvy and make financially smart decisions.

Trippple X said, "Yuh cyaa spend, spend, spend suh, and this is one situation that will force people to spend what them don't have and put them in further financial burden. People who normally survive on $5,000 worth of groceries before all this, a take up credit card fi pay for $100k worth of groceries, and when this pass, them in debt or not sure how them going survive."

He says he is not allowing the coronavirus pandemic to change his spending habits and has always stored the necessary sanitary supplies in his home.

"I can only hope is not just sanitising measures people taking, but safe-sex practices since everybody lock up with fi dem woman and man or people man ... all I can say is a lot of 'corona babies' going born end of this year," he said.