Social media needs to strike a balance to its exposure

Sunil Thongam *

The recent 5-day internet ban in Manipur was mainly because ofa noisy scene witnessed on social media over the ATSUM economic blockade. The government characterised it as a clamour. The economic blockade on National Highways rose to a clamour on social media, prompting the government to initiate internet curbs to help check extemporization ofcomments.

The Manipur government seemed to have thought malicious social media handlers can pollute an information environment and erode trust and make waters of public debate dirty. After days of disruption, the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) suspended the strike, saying the decision was taken in the interest of the general public. It ended the public outcry.

The government was deeply concerned over spread of fake news on the internet. Government Ass not always make everything public. Everyone knew why it wanted to impose a ban on the intemet. The blockade on the National Highways was of great concern to the Biren government. The news, comments and opinions on social media bore a communal tone when the economic blockade came into force. The government did not like it.

It appeared that the government was thinking it was going to get a bad name. Chief Minister N Biren Singh has claimed a drastic drop in blockades and bandhs in Manipur. He has appealed time and again to civil society groups to refrain from calling bandhs or blockades to push for demands and warned of legal action against such organisations.

The mainstream media always strikes a balance while reporting. It has been fair, objective and balanced in news reporting. The power of social media goes far beyond its impact on its users. Basically everyone is a journalist nowadays. But not just anyone can be a journalist. It is said that as far as social media is concerned in today's world, it's important to strike a balance to its exposure.

Excess of anything is bad. The ATSUM has been pressing for the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council (Amendment) Bill 2021 to be tabled in the state assembly. A statement issued by United Committee Manipur (UCM) on August 8, 2022 clearly stated that no party or no particular community should at any point of time try to interpret the provisions present in the Article 371 (c) of the Indian Constitution for the benefit of their own community only.

UCM had said that any provisions present in the ADC Bill should be for the welfare and development of Manipur as a whole and not just for a particular community. Most newspapers did not explain about Article 371 (c) simply because the media always gives the simplest means to view different opinions. It is not that the media was missing the details of the Article. We can go to TV discussion programmes, newspaper articles, editorials and other

sources to get a detail on the Article. The media does not have the space or time to go into detail to clean and shine of an Article of the Constitution. The government refused to consider the demand raised by ATSUM. The rejection conveyed that the demand cannot be met. On social media we often found some people revealing their personal opinions which they insert into stories.

It is said that without journalism, the world would be ignorant. Journalism is important because it gives current and relevant information and news to the public. Benjamin Franklin said, "Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by judging the freeness of speech."

Coach Currie, an 8th grade social studies teacher and football coach at Dobie Jr. High, said, "Journalism is important because it spreads truth to people; they need to know things."

According to a finding, as more and more people use social media as their primary news source they encounter all manner and kind of unsubstantiated assertions of conspiracy theories, fabrications, distortions, personal attacks, imputing of motives, stoking of divisions, racism, incitement to violence, etc.

Anybody can say anything in social media and they do. There is no fact-checking and there are no real gate-keepers. Social media has a mostly negative impact on the journalism industry, according to a survey. It says an overwhelming 94.3 percent of respondents blamed social media for spreading inaccurate news.