Socialising Social Media

Context:  Service providing platforms using the internet is far less regulated than the traditional providers of these services and must be regulated to protect the public from lies that polarise society.

Need for regulating Social media platforms:

• Rapid increase of Internet users: From 5 million users in 2000 to more than 500 million at present.
  • A survey found that online news (56 %) has outpaced print (16 %) as the main source of news among respondents under 35 years old.
• A Penchant for fake news: Sources of news on the internet like Facebook, Whatsapp are not properly curated had thus become a major instrument for spreading fake news anonymously and at low cost.
• May lead to the polarisation of society: Algorithm-based strategy for maximizing used by online platforms provide opportunities for extremists to influence the users.
• Profit orientation: The major social media platforms are run by profit-oriented commercial enterprises, mainly based in the United States.

Ways to make social media platforms responsible:

• Codify the required standards of scrutiny: Platforms must be required to remove immediately any post that’s illegal, incendiary or proven false.
• Set up an independent agency to monitor social media sites using web crawlers: To identify posts that are illegal or incendiary and approve the algorithms used by the media sites to retain users
• Establish a semi-judicial mechanism: to judge violations.
• Promote self-regulation: to avoid political misuse of social media control to secure the citizen’s right to freedom of expression.

Conclusion: In a democracy, protecting the public from lies that polarise society is equally important like the freedom of expression.