Today’s social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook,
Viber, Live, We chat, and Twitter has become an essential and indispensable
tool for most of us. Facebook was first launched in 2004, WhatsApp in 2009 and Viber in 2010. According
to Wikipedia, we have more than 600 million active users for WhatsApp, 1.3
billion Facebook active users and 100 million Viber active users.
Besides individuals, institutions like universities,
colleges, schools, departments have created WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and
Viber accounts to disseminate information in a faster mode among lecturers,
teachers, staffs, colleagues, friends, students and acquaintances. Organizations
and business sector also benefit from the social media. These media serve as
instant messaging platforms, and are currently available free of charge. I too
utilize WhatsApp to convey information to my students and fellow-colleagues. Of
course, with these media we save time, and it is indeed a speedy way of conveying
information.
For many of us, not a day will pass without us updating our
social media. Some even update these social media before going to bed and the first
thing in the morning after they rise from their beds. There are also media
users who post messages in Facebook in order to get the most number of likes.
We also hear stories of how housewives, school and college
going students hang-on to the social media every available time to log-on to
these media to see the latest updates. With these media, information is
disseminated fast and across boundaries within seconds from a person to another,
and from one end to another end.
Although these media are useful for disseminating news,
information and sometimes photos and videos, the other side of the ill-effects
of the media needs to be looked at. At times, controversial issues and divisive
issues and matters are posted in the media to attract more likes, especially in
Facebook.
Among the controversial issues are on personal life,
politics, religion and sex. We had many such cases reported in our country
itself. Some of the social media users were brought to court for judgment.
Medias like Facebook should be for individual and personal use and purpose. At
times, users transgress the boundaries by posting and updates by insulting or
smearing the names of others.
We also have users, especially the young users posting
trivial matters in their Facebook. It is irritating at times to read such
updates, like “I am now having my coffee now at Starbucks Mid-Valley” or “I am now
lazing around in Times Square”. Such updates are very personal and should not
be shared in the social media. Users
should be cautious by not updating such petty stuffs.
Social media came to existence since early 2004 for the
purpose of dissemination of information and news in a rapid way through instant
messages and information. Let us utilize the best of the media, and not abuse
them for personal gains and glory. Technology is for the betterment of society,
and moderation should be the key word as regards to the use of social
media. In all matters moderation is
desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove a source of evil.
