- The power of social media platforms has undergone tremendous changes in the last couple of years is quite visible for all those discerning is stating the obvious. The fact reverberates with wide acknowledgment demonstrates how the present-day world has taken up on the digital format with its speed, ease, and simple to understand user-friendly interfaces. Dependency on the medium was never felt inevitable when the pandemic enforced restrictions facilitated seamless interactions over the virtual world bigtime.
PC:
- But for the technological wonder available at the disposal of humankind, the entire universe would be under the spell of medieval or dark age living protocols unimaginable to even contemplate now. No wonder, the virtual world embraced with open arms helped stave off a situation that otherwise would have rendered us insane. The digital world adopting the online methodology came to the fore in not only sustaining our lives critically but also helped admirably to carry on without getting lost in the prevalent uncertainty.
- Of course, as in any medium which carries the baggage of manipulation, unverified/unauthentic accounts, and fake information finding place amidst legitimate dissemination, the virtual world of social media too is not immune from getting afflicted with irrelevant and fake content. Increasingly popular microblogging site like Twitter alongside other similar mediums have had their share of fakery as a deluge of forwards, posts, and messages traversing indicate
PC: Charlie Beckett
- Any medium acts as a double-edged sword where merits and demerits run parallelly, and social media is not bereft of the advantages and malice as high costs of misinformation in first the pandemic, and during the US elections are still fresh in our collective memories. Given the same, Twitter has been introducing new labels and warning messages to provide context for some of the tweets that contain disputed or misleading information. In a welcome move, the company has introduced the measure in India too.
- Twitter has started tagging certain tweets as “manipulated media” falling in the category of photo, audio, and video material that has been deceptively altered or fabricated to mislead people. In a populous country like India and in some sensitive parcels of habitation where communal conflagrations are most noticed, any misinformation carries the risk of igniting trouble leading to worrisome situations. Studies indicate that misinformation spreads much faster on social media.
PC: candidsky
- As noticed, public health and social harmony are the foremost areas in which the world has seen fakery wreak havoc disturbing the peace. As is the practice now, retweeting “manipulated media” like WhatsApp messages/forwards can lead to volatile incidents. It befits the company to usher in responsibility and accountability on the persons with such censure in place avoiding trespasses. Needless to mention, it would be no less than a thorny path for Twitter in India as it deals with politicians and other public figures to be more responsible and accountable.
