How civil is social media?

Mona

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube or Whatsapp is where we virtually live today. Yes, we can now reach out to our personal and professional circle at the click of a button, but it has also intruded our homes. Two sisters, Ananchal Singhi and Dr Sumedha, one studying to be a chartered accountant and  the other, a practicing dentist, share their views 

A tool for instant action

Internet has changed life beyond imagination. In recent years, the popularity of social media is on the rise. It sure is a boon, the recent case of Delhi girl Jasleen Kaur stands a testimony to the same. Not only it helped the girl stand up for her rights, it also helped in tracing the suspect and bringing him to the book. An instant action could be taken, courtesy social media.  

The benefits of social media are manifold. Corporates use it as a platform for marketing their products as it is cost effective and ensures instant customer feedback. It is an effective medium for recruitment. Networking is one of the key elements of today’s society and what better platform than social media for the same. It helps in enhancing social connectivity and is a powerful tool of communication. A quick, cheap way of keeping in touch with our friends. It is also used as talent sharing platform for youth, thus helping them find work. Social media helps people voice their opinion and collaborate on a common effort building social opinion.  — Aanchal Singhi Student, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

Caring netizens 

The famous Tilaknagar case made Jasleen Kaur the brave Indian woman as she posted a picture of one Saravjeet Singh who she claims harassed her at a traffic signal at around eight on Sunday night on a Facebook post. Netizens rallied with her and the alleged harasser’s photo was shared instantly.

A bruised eye opens our eyes

Social Media, often hyped as a blessing, exposes one to many perils.

Are you on Facebook or Twitter? The first question that one hears when teens chat with one another. But one cannot ignore the side effects of increased usage of social networking sites. Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap’s bruised-eye social experiment puts it out in the open for everyone to see.

These sites have taken over face-to-face communication, the warmth and real connections are sinking and so is the truth. Competing with peers for posting attractive pictures on social networking is a reason of self-hatred among teens. Although the legal age to access such sites is 18 but the younger generation too has access to social media which is the prime reason for declining outdoor activities among kids and making them cyber addicts early on in life. This has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of not only young children but adults as well. Academic performance of the youth is seriously affected by overuse of the Internet.

It’s not safe either. Despite the claims of the advanced security settings, hacking is still one of the major concerns. One can easily fall prey to prying eyes.

These days, social media is used as a platform to market and advertise their products but often companies fail to make up their promises and hence fail to deliver what is desired. Another trend among the youth is to use social media as a means to highlight criminals but which story do you believe and which not. Many a time, it’s a gimmick aimed at selfish ends. Cyber bullying and cyber stalking are the issues that need serious attention. Posting rumours, gossip, harassing, humiliation, defamation- the list goes on. Let’s not allow technology to enslave us.

Dr Sumedha, Dental surgeon

Look before you leap

Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap placed a bet and posted a picture on Instagram with a vague caption ‘Now this is what happens when you get into a brawl with a MMA fighter’. Soon Internet was abuzz with headlines screaming Anurag Kashyap Got ‘Into a Brawl With a MMA Fighter.’ Ouch.”  

Here’s how Anurag explained his ‘social experiment’, “one Instagram picture of prosthetics test for the eye, with a random line, becomes news without crosschecking. Point proven, won the bet.”

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