Just a few decades ago, the mainstream media organisations enjoyed the status of being the only and the most authentic and reliable sources of information. With the introduction of social media platforms, very recently, the popular media culture underwent a drastic change and the introduction of user friendly applications diversified the field of news which now arrived instantly and in many versions.
It is the user-generated information of these social media platforms that seems to emerge as the most ‘viewed’ and ‘commented’ versions of information. Youngsters being the most active users of such platforms, Kashmir Images reporter UFAQ FATIMA spoke to some in order to know whether the young minds were satisfied with the social media feeds or relied on other sources of information in order to arrive at a conclusion.
Internet is my primary source of information, but it is very difficult to decide which information is correct and which false. People who do not understand the sensitivity of a particular piece of information tend to share it without any second-guess. It is very important for the people to verify the information before relying on it and also making others to do. We ought to remember the fact that the information we rely on shapes the way we think and act.
For keeping track of the day-to-day happenings in the world, I mostly rely on national and local print media because I believe these are the most authentic sources of information. I also keep myself updated by visiting various verified Instagram pages.
I receive the latest news updates from my twitter. I think social media is an instant source for reading and watching news as compared to print media.
I have installed a number of applications on my phone, being offered by both national and local news organisations, in order to keep myself updated about daily happenings of the world. Nowadays people are exposed to unlimited information, which can make them to fall in the trap of rumours very easily. It is very important for us to choose a credible source for gathering the information.
I rely on internet both for my studies and as well as the daily news. I make it sure the sources I am consulting are authentic.
The convergence of media has made it easy to gather information, but on the other hand this development of media has its own loopholes. With no gate-keeping in place, social media is not a good choice for staying update. I always prefer to cross check the information that I receive on my social media accounts.
