2nd September 2019

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Musings.......

Below is my reply to an FB query on its relevance- 

Facebook is a necessary evil.  In this post modern world that we live in, FB has become inevitable considering the help that it does in tracing people, keeping in touch with loved ones and friends, disaster management, rescue and rehabilitation and the like. 

However, it is to be taken with a pinch of salt. As we all know the amount of time children spent on social media affecting even their scholastic ability. Studies have shown reduced attention span in children who are on social media for a significant amount of time.  Social media addiction is another evil that threatens us.  Drug mafia, Terrorist organisations and Pornography industry making use of Facebook for their aggrandisement is no secret.  
Another major issue is the advent of so much of fake news that is clouding reality and which political parties and others use for their partisan benefits. Data privacy is another issue that has to be tackled by Facebook as now people are afraid of posting their personal details including pictures in FB. 
What started as an entertainment application has become a necessity and the associated risks has also increased. 
Posts on social media that go viral has the potential even to influence electoral outcomes.  Propaganda too could be promoted through this medium.  

The whole socio- politico- economic spectrum is being influenced in one way or the other by FB. This major influence and clout that it enjoys comes with responsibilities. FB management should make sure their customers including the writer are taken into confidence.  They should be provided with stringent data protection laws, privacy and protection from hacking.  FB has taken steps in this regard which is appreciable, however it requires constant updates as the enemy is never too far behind. 

Steps to curb fake news is the need of the hour and behavioural tracking advertisements powered by AI technology should be monitored. 

We never want Facebook to be abolished. In fact many so called Millennials have grown up with it.  If the management takes care of the above mentioned potholes in an otherwise efficient system,  then we could make this whole process a safe and enjoyable one. 


Food for Thought.......

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