Social media as an agent of chaos in the societies
IT is an evident fact that social media is a big blessing in the 21st Century as it is considered a powerful voice for the mute.
At present, social media is rapidly penetrating all over the world. Until a few years ago we were concerned that our children do not read books and newspapers etc.
nor do they like to watch the news on TV. Now, the same generation knows the news from all over the world even before us.
However, no one can ever expect that this blessing may have some dire consequences also. It becomes more difficult for us to discern truth from the news available on social media.
The news does not reach the reader/ viewer in its original form. By editing photos and videos, the way spicy captions are added to the news, called memes, makes it easier to influence the views of the younger generation.
The manner in which comments are made on social media and one’s views are openly expressed is no longer covered up.
Anyone may touch on a topic or give their opinion on it. Some people will comment in such a way that you will touch your ears while repenting.
This is a very dangerous trend. At present, PTI is the only political party which is using the emotions and energies of our youth in a very poetic manner.
Teenagers or young people in their twenties and thirties are the main targets. The perception of our youth has been built in such a manner that they started disgusting the old and traditional politics, they do not see in it the modernity and charm that is seen in PTI’s meetings and politics.
If music and songs are removed from PTI’s meetings, maybe they will stop going to these meetings as people who go to these meetings just because there will be a little outing.
On the other hand, there are the same old political faces, like Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman who are doing politics even before the birth of the new generation.
The new generation does not feel any charm and attraction. His style does not appeal to young people.
The new ‘TikTok Generation’ does not have much time to read books, study and then form its own opinion about politics by looking at the past and the present.
Social media undeniably has the influence that the young generation can form an immediate opinion by looking at small incidents.
However, the situation can only be analyzed by looking at past examples and experiences. Consider the case of the alleged letter itself.
After the overthrow of the government, Imran Khan is being oppressed by the people and is spreading rumors of conspiracy everywhere while no one is talking about his poor performance and bad governance.
The masses are also flowing in a flood of emotions. This is not happening only in Pakistan but the world’s most developed nations are also affected by this disease i.e.,social media.
The USA and some European countries also are the victims of an increase in radicalism, extremism, and reaction.
Let me quote here the example of US as according to a report, US is struggling hard to fight on the front lines against extremism.
Not only the speeches and announcements but the authorities are also seen taking practical steps.
Measures ranging from allocating funds to counter global extremism and terrorism to the military invention in many countries are top of the list.
As per the belief of American intellectuals, extremism is spreading rapidly in American society itself whereas if left unchecked, extremism could become dominant in mainstream politics.
Cynthia Miller, an American intellectual, has expressed her views in this regard, which is a moment of reflection for the American authorities.
Cynthia Miller writes that in the months before and after the 2020 US presidential election, millions of Americans were influenced by the online flood of misinformation and formed false opinions.
The right-wing extremists for which the era of post-9/11 was fertile ground when law enforcement and intelligence services focused almost exclusively on the military threat while taking advantage of the “fear of Muslim terrorists”.
White supremacy became a powerful weapon in the hands of pro-Christian nationalists. Trump took advantage of these things in his 2016 election campaign.
When ordinary people encounter these ideas, whether, through propaganda, social media, or grassroots efforts, they incorporate them into their personal beliefs.
This is a departure from the traditional model of radicalism in which people gradually adopt the ideological framework of a recognizable group, as was the case with fascism or neo-Nazism, which calls for a violent solution against the common enemy.
These integrated measures include the initial rituals, the manifesto, the Guide, and a series of commandments that guide beliefs and actions.
But the sad fact is that extremist groups use social media as a weapon to mislead the public. This is also happening in Pakistan by some political and religious groups.
The public is being misled by spreading false or half-truthful information through social media.
But it is important to remember that it is not social media that is to blame, but the forces that are at fault for its misuse.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
