Story highlights People have been sharing a message on social media to affect inauguration ratings

That's not how TV ratings work -- but their other ways to show your support or dissent

(CNN) Think you can affect TV ratings for the inauguration by boycotting it or switching to other channels? It's not that easy, no matter how many people are sharing the tactic on social media.

Plenty of people are pledging to "boycott" the inauguration by not watching it, and one post that's making the rounds on social media suggests a slightly different strategy. In short, turn all of your TVs to another channel instead, thus bringing the PERCENTAGE of people watching the inauguration down.

Interesting. And, well, erroneous. That's not how television ratings work at all.

You gotta know how TV ratings work

Here's how it goes: Television viewership is measured through something called Nielsen ratings . Unless you are a designated "Nielsen family," your viewership really isn't taken into account.

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