THE human intellect intricately weaves narratives as our visual faculties coalesce images, thereby crafting a cognitive tableau. These mental constructions engender perceptions that extend to individuals, objects and locales, thereby shaping our emotional responses to life’s myriad stimuli. The fabric of these perceptions, woven in the loom of our minds, profoundly influences the tapestry of our decisions and life trajectories. In the epoch preceding the ubiquity of social media, the artifice of projecting a contrived semblance of reality before others proved to be a formidable undertaking. Consequently, the art of manipulating the collective consciousness faced substantial challenges. However, with the advent of social media platforms, a paradigm shift occurred, ushering in an era where individuals could deftly fashion a fictionalized representation, thereby orchestrating pseudo-realities to sway the sentiments of the masses in their favour.
Traditionally, arbiters of public opinion, disseminating their perspectives through televised broadcasts and other channels of mass media, played a pivotal role in shaping public sentiment on matters of communal interest. These opinion influencers were regarded as bastions of reliability, as their public personas were perceived to embody authenticity. In contrast to the present milieu dominated by social media, where the act of presenting a tailored persona is commonplace, these opinion leaders held an unwavering commitment to maintaining an unadulterated identity. The very notion of disseminating information without a transparent revelation of one’s character remains inconceivable in such instances.
Nevertheless, social media has revolutionized the fabric of human interactions, albeit often in a disingenuous manner. The virtual realm crafted by social media platforms is, indeed, a realm of artifice. This is glaringly evident in the staggering numbers revealed in 2021, where Facebook purged nearly 1.3 billion spurious accounts, Instagram unveiled 95 million counterfeit profiles, and Twitter grappled with the challenge of 20 million faux identities. These statistics underscore a pervasive trend wherein individuals clandestinely construct deceptive personas online, carrying within them the potential for malevolent actions that pose a threat to societal well-being. The creation of fraudulent profiles serves as a conduit for reshaping the perceptions people harbour about others. In numerous instances, these fabricated identities are orchestrated with malicious intent, aiming to victimize individuals or disseminate false narratives against authentic personalities. Frequently, these motives stem from personal animosities that individuals harbour towards their counterparts. Furthermore, the narrative is seldom unidimensional; there exists an inherent duality to every story.
Social media, however, tends to present only one facet of a narrative, affording an undue advantage to those who skillfully craft a story against someone. The targeted individual often finds it arduous to overcome the repercussions of such false narratives. This erosion of credibility resulting from the misuse of social media is a profound consequence. Throughout the annals of human history, mechanisms have been in place within communities to address grievances. Societies have appointed judges to thwart incidents wherein an innocent soul faces unwarranted social ostracization due to someone fabricating a falsehood-laden tale against them. The essence lies in meticulous introspection of minutiae before arriving at a just conclusion. Therefore, social media should not be venerated as a dependable platform for unraveling the truth behind a given fact.
Due to its propensity for sustaining misinformation, the utilization of social media has exacerbated animosity among societal strata and fostered antipathy towards institutional structures. Individuals with anti-establishment sentiments frequently exploit social media as an ideal conduit for disseminating false narratives against the state, sowing discord among diverse social classes and sects. As these deceptive narratives persistently circulate across social media platforms, they inflict irreversible damage on the unity of the state and the cohesion of its social fabric. The perpetuation of such falsities contributes significantly to the erosion of societal integration and harmony Living in a society shaped by contemporary communication systems, it has become imperative to engage through social media platforms. However, amidst the digital landscape’s veneer of connectivity, there exist methods to shield oneself from the inherent artificiality propagated by social media. Legislation emerges as a potent tool to counteract the proliferation of fake profiles on social media. Mandating stringent laws against the creation of deceptive online personas is essential. While it is feasible to trace the IP address of a fake profile, validating the true intentions of an individual utilizing such a profile for malicious purposes remains a challenge. Concealing one’s identity to inflict harm is a reprehensible transgression that warrants swift governmental intervention. Addressing this misuse would undoubtedly bolster the credibility of social media platforms.
Leveraging technology, particularly artificial intelligence, holds paramount significance in detecting and pre-empting the dissemination of false information. Employing cutting-edge tools can mitigate this threat, fostering greater authenticity in the news shared across social media platforms. In the educational realm, the integration of social media literacy into school and university curricula is paramount. It is imperative to instill in successive generations the discernment that social media is not merely an information tool. Cultivating a sense of vigilance while navigating these platforms is crucial. Identifying purveyors of hatred on social media and subjecting their pages and profiles to scrutiny by the cyber-wing is essential. Such measures would significantly diminish the prevalence of falsity on social media, elevating its overall credibility.
It is imperative to transform our social conduct, and each individual must assume the responsibility of verifying the credibility of news before sharing it on social media platforms. This collective obligation is pivotal, and such conduct will undoubtedly enhance the reliability of social media as a platform. Above all, legislative frameworks governing content dissemination on social media are indispensable. Only content that contributes value to society should be shared, transforming social media into a genuine and constructive tool for communication. In our interconnected world, the utilization of social media is unavoidable. Yet, the responsibility lies with us to take proactive measures and ensure its reliable and authentic usage. Neglecting this duty may result in succumbing to the perils of misinformation, a malady more insidious than a pandemic, fostering chaos, hatred, and societal disintegration.
—The writer is CSS Officer, based in Sargodha.
Email: waqarhassancsp@gmail.com
views expressed are writer’s own.
