- The ubiquitous advent of social media platforms is like a double-edged sword that could be useful as well as dangerous. It entirely depends on the way the sword is used by the user. Digitalization efforts riding on the back of information technology-driven solutions have made their presence felt beyond imagination would be an understatement. Such is the penetration of the medium that not a single endeavour in the present-day world goes without the transformational effect of the same coming into the fore. Now, the digital medium is also used by anti-social elements largely unauthorized and unverified fake facts for dubious purposes stoking disruptions, disharmony, and sometimes leading to violence too. There are several examples to substantiate the same.
PC: Freepik
- We all saw how the social media platforms played out fake news during the pandemic-induced lockdowns and the subsequent migration of labourers. The moot point to ponder over here is how to handle the disruptive and dangerous impact of fake news on social media. An emulation-worthy example was played out in Tamil Nadu recently. Swiftly reacting to rumour-mongering that migrants from north India in TN had faced attacks – video message first dropped in Bihar feeds – the state machinery wasted no time in addressing the issue. The CM, ministers, police, and the governor along with industry mounted a swift and decisive response to quell the rumours and assure Hindi-speaking migrants of their safety in TN.
- These were achieved through direct meetings with migrants and also on social media. You see, how social media can be used both ways. To Bihar CM’s tweet expressing concern about news reports on the matter, TN police clarified both video messages were fake (one was an earlier grab of two locals fighting, and the other, also dated, was of two migrant groups in a scrap). Look how the event panned out. Chennai spoke to Patna, which flew down a delegation from Bihar that thoughtfully included a Tamil-speaking officer to ensure no messaging was lost in translation. Employers know that migrants in TN would head to their hometowns in Bihar for Holi but feared that this particular fake news could influence many to not return to work.
PC: Freepik
- Mind you, such possibilities cannot be ruled out when the atmosphere gets vitiated. Of course, migrant workers are the centre and heart of India’s economy, comprising nearly 40% of India’s population as per Census 2011. A state government survey in 2016 estimated that TN is home to over 10.6 lakh migrant workers, a majority unskilled, 27% in manufacturing, 14% in textile, and 11.4% in the construction sector. Yes, when perpetrators of fake news attempt to manipulate vulnerable groups who can’t fact-check what they consume on their smartphones – even better-off classes often don’t fact-check – it becomes incumbent on the state machinery ala TN & Bihar to step in. Such combined efforts must be followed by other states too.
