By: Sahil Ahmad Lone
There is no doubt in the fact that social media has revolutionized our lives. Gone are the days when people had to spend months to register their complaints before the competent authorities for their redressal. Now, you just publish your grievances on social media and within minutes they reach the concerned authorities. Recently, a 6 year old Kashmiri girl uploaded a video on social media regarding the overburden of online classes. Within hours, The J&K LG took action and an order was issued to lessen the burden of minor students. This indeed is a best example of the positive impacts of social media. But, the coin has other facet too.
With the advent of social media, no doubt more comfort came in our lives but when we look at its negative ramifications, it has turned into a battlefield nowadays. Hatred on the basis of religion, geographic locations, ethnicity, culture, idealogy etc is spreading like wildfire. Instead of having an ethical debate on the controversial issues, people start trolling their ideological opponents which sometimes force them to take extreme steps like suicide. Its best recent example is the “Baba Ka Dhaba” case. When a Youtuber published his story on social media, people praised him. After sometime the Baba accused him of treachery and a hero became a villain overnight. After providing the proof of his innocence, people again started praising him and this time trolled the Baba. Few days ago, the Baba tried to end his life and was admitted in a hospital.
This is not a single instance when netizens became judgmental without verifying the facts and listening to the both sides of the story, which is the basic demand of justice. Few months ago, a lady accused a food delivery guy of attacking her. The poor guy became the victim of the social media wrath and after putting his stance and denying the allegations of the lady, people now started to troll the lady.
The pseudo nationalism also has paved a way for this havoc. On the name of law and order, sometimes innocents are framed in false cases and people too turn a blind eye towards them. Years later, they are proven innocent by the courts. By then, they lose the precious years of their lives behind the bars. Although they get justice but as it is said, “justice delayed is justice denied.”
This fact must be understood that every action can’t be justified under the shade of “freedom of speech.’’ Even if the freedom of speech is fundamental human right, some restraints must be exercised for the larger good of society. Similarly on the name of “nationalism” innocents can’t be framed. The govt. must come down heavily on both the misuses. Similarly, netizens also must understand the fact that their words may plunge people into the vales of depression and even force them to end their lives.
