The Spread Of Morphed Information & Unprecedented Hatred Via Social Media

By Savindrie Jayawardane –APRIL 1, 2018

Savindrie Jayawardane

Decades ago, the main sources of information were mass media including news-papers, radio and television. However, the digital age and easy access to information via social media: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, WhatsApp, Instagram etc. threaten the mainstream mass media; where these novel sources of information leave us opinionated, often rendering a platform where opinions, be it positive or negative, go viral. All individuals have the right to showcase ideas or opinions in private accounts in various social media platforms. Nevertheless, it is not legitimate to fabricate morphed or distorted news which would generate hatred and unnecessary social unrest in the country. In hindsight, the unprecedented spread of hate speech and distorted news in social media relating to the recent communal unrest, led the Telecom Regulatory Commission (TRC) to monitor all social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc., for the first time in Sri Lanka. Following the repercussions, not only the Kandy Administrative District was under curfew, but the masses were also subjected to the digital surveillance. It goes without saying that, in social media anything and everything can go viral, without any control. Various groups would prefer to take the benefit from this uncontrollable flow of information, in order to spread morphed news with a pinch of sensationalism while, at times, intruding the personal space of individuals.

Subsequently, one could argue whether these security measures are effective. One could also question whether the government was thus controlling one’s right to free speech. But, this measure was initiated to control the proliferation of misinformation and unhealthy tension via social media. The government as the sovereign power is responsible to protect the security of the commonwealth and grant absolute authority to guarantee the common defense. This digital surveillance is adopted as a temporary solution for the recent racial unrest, even though it is not the best solution.

Hype about the sterilization pills

 The video which made rounds in social media, on the uproar of the so-called sterilization pills, which were claimed to be found in an Ampara restaurant, was fraudulent. The issue came to the forefront as a customer had found a piece of dough in food thinking that it was sterilization pill. Consequently, few mosques and other property were damaged as a cause of the ferocity of the residents of that area, which got heightened after seeing the so-called video. At this juncture, there are several pressing issues that need to be tackled. Firstly, the mass media has the ability to tackle these rumors which are doing rounds and to educate the masses. Such communal clashes emphasize the unawareness and the sheer trust on fake and morphed information in social media. Such rumors or news of the so-called “sterilization pills” wouldn’t have been one of the reasons for such ethnic clashes, had the the relevant authorities nipped the issues at the bud before it gets contagious.

Video on the Throat-cutting gesture

Similarly, the recent video of the throat-cutting gesture by Brigadier Priyanka Fernando, Minister Counsellor (Defence) in the Sri Lanka mission in London, went viral in social media either for positive or negative reasons. Nevertheless, the burgeoning issue is that the video that went viral could have been taken out of proportion, the part where he had initially negotiating with diaspora was not visible in many of the videos that the masses initially came across. Social media makes the mass aware of some hideous topics that the mainstream mass media fails to do. But, the concern is that, sometimes social media makes unnecessary pressure on the state affairs, even before the affairs are acknowledged under an inquiry. Even the Military Spokesman Brigadier Sumith Atapattu said that the Brigadier Fernando cannot be punished based on a video clip alone. Thus, there is high tendency for all the wrong reasons or incomplete information to get rooted, even before the right reasons or information get spread. Sometimes, state affairs tend to be disturbed by the unscrupulous social media interaction.

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