Auctioneers post an immense amount of fake news on Facebook and other social media sites. Yes, “immense” is the word — as in every day, all day, without any regard to whether or not it is true or false. It seems to not matter if these posts regard health issues, national security, or any other topics regarding safety or prudent practices.
The strategies have basically evolved into two distinct disturbing trends:
Posting fake news and even when called out and corrected, leaving it posted for all to see nonetheless.
Posting fake news until Facebook takes it down (because it’s fake) and then post it again, and again … as if posting multiple times somehow makes it true.
Both strategies seem nonsensical. The first is more or less intentionally posting fake news in order to attempt to sway others to one’s line of [fake] thinking. The other is maybe worse, leaving Facebook to censor your posts that you can’t take the time to verify yourself.
We as auctioneers are no better than this? Posting fake, crazy, made-up, wacko stuff doesn’t make us look very good to our clients, customers nor other auctioneers … that is, unless they are sharing all this crap too, and of course some are doing just that.
This seems a bit odd, as most auctioneers don’t lie about what they are selling, nor lie to their staff about what time to be at the auction, nor lie about their commission rates with their clients … but they hop on Facebook and can’t wait to share fake stuff; I just don’t get it.
We [almost] all have political views — posting yours probably isn’t going to change any minds. Religion? Freedom of speech? The right medicine? Pandemic? You have a right to speak your mind (within limits) but sharing others’ fake dribble isn’t helping your argument.
I and others have said before … people look at your Facebook profile and those looking can be potential clients and customers, attorneys, and other auctioneers. More than once, we’ve been hired over another auctioneer due to his or her Facebook page filled with nonsense.
Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, CAI, CAS, AARE has been an auctioneer and certified appraiser for over 30 years. His company’s auctions are located at: Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, RES Auction Services, and Goodwill Columbus Car Auction. He serves as Distinguished Faculty at Hondros College, Executive Director of The Ohio Auction School, and an Instructor at the National Auctioneers Association’s Designation Academy He is faculty at the Certified Auctioneers Institute held at Indiana University and is approved by The Supreme Court of Ohio for attorney education.
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