Social media has become a prime mover of news today, and while it can be a great tool of engagement and information, there are many challenges it faces in terms of credibility. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp are flooded with information: How do you separate the wheat from the chaff?

Last week a post claimed that India had launched the first hospital on rails in the world and there was a flood of praise for the Government and the Railways. However, the Lifeline Express launched way back in 1991 has already covered 18 States and two lakh km. Social media tells us that the Unesco declared ‘Jana Gana Mana’ the best national anthem in the world, and that the new 2000 rupee note has a GPS chip to detect hidden money. The list goes on. As media persons we may think twice before believing such stories, but others often take what’s flashing on the screen as the truth. Therein lies the problem. Fake news may not just be frivolous or mischievous. It can have serious repercussions should it convey communal, racist or sexist overtones. We saw it in action a few years ago when Nort-Easterners fled Bengaluru due to threats conveyed over social media.

Some recommend curbs on social media. This is impractical and a serious assault on free speech. Besides, it could be misused by governments and institutions. While we recognize fake news in the media today, often stories and comments on it are in a lighter vein.

A more serious awareness campaign is required that will educate users about the limitations of social media and the need to factor in the credibility deficit that’s built into the medium. After all, we have 160 million Whatsapp users, 148 million Facebook users and 22 million Twitter users in the country. These powerful communication tools need to be used with responsibility.

Associate Editor

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW