SOCIAL MEDIA MENACE AND ETHICS

Huge technological changes are taking place with the promise of benefits, but at the same time with serious risks. The risks are more than the benefits, depending on the use of such technology, either for common good or for selfish motives. The digital culture and modern technology affect human understanding and relationships. The digital spaces have become the work-field for most of the IT companies. It has become the mission-field for the Church as well, with the risk of social isolation and digital divide.

 We, therefore, need to respond strongly to the radical challenges caused by the digital diffusion within the human culture. We know that science and technology are meant to be at the service of the society, for human development. This is possible by educating people in the proper use of the digital culture, while distinguishing its good and bad elements. Artificial Intelligence (AI) used by the social media platforms is reshaping human experience and its responses. It has impacted upon human rights, freedom of expression and personal data privacy. It even determines our decision-making processes. It is now a challenge as well as an opportunity for the young generation. Contrary to social justice and human rights, AI as machine learning engines, can manipulate and exploit others, especially those who are ignorant about social media and its profiteering functions.  It does so by controlling, enticing and monitoring – a lucrative job. The free access to apps on the internet is a marketing strategy to get one addicted to the site – it sells the person’s time, attention and self, more than the products it promotes. More time spent by individuals on such sites, are added profits for the app companies.

Without a proper perspective, the use of digital means has caused complex cultural, social and psychological changes on many levels. It demands digital literacy, learning to distinguish the differences of media contents. We cannot escape the influence of digital culture. It is important to cope well with such cultural transition, and engage in transforming it into a means of authentic media, and not as an end.  We will have to use these new ways of communicating, but with commitment and responsibility, making oneself understandable through this digital culture, as a ‘new normal’.

Facebook (FB), founded in 2004, having amplified human free speech by the help of artificial intelligence, its plan is programmed to stir up emotions and attention. This way it invites more views and more advertising. Strategies are adopted to help the company make more money. FB allowed its data to be used for electoral gains also. Governments too ‘weaponize’ FB and the internet. In 2020, FB’s revenue rose to 61.9 billion, with the Instagram owning 28% of it. Far from it, LinkedIn stands at 8 billion and Twitter at 3.7 billion in 2020. India has been described as Facebook’s biggest market with more than 340 million users. The ills of FB platform with two-billion plus users are many. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Ressa, accused FB — the world’s largest distributor of news without facts — of spreading lies “laced with anger and hate”.  11% of Facebook accounts are duplicates and 5% are fake. A systemic societal harms is perpetuated by the trillion-dollar tech FB giant, that “chooses profits over safety” (John Tye, representing FB whistleblower Frances Haugen) Along with Google and Twitter, it does so by destroying the credibility of other genuine news.

 Data journalism that deep dives into fact-finding, has discovered   2.6 million pieces of FB as adult nudity and sexual activity; 324 thousand pieces related to hate speech. We, therefore, need to reinvent our use of social media, deploying both human and artificial intelligence, harness its effectiveness to counter-act against the ills of such platforms, and keep users safe. Against the Silicon Valley’s Scientists, counter research must be made to understand the damaging effects of AI being made used of, by the Social Media platforms.   We need to pressure on them to project their algorithms rightly. (cf. Sevanti Ninan,https://www.telegraphindia. com/opinion/ facebook-is-programmed-to-stir-up-baser-emotions/cid/1834950, 18.10.2021).

Over 1.5 billion users in 180 countries are using Whatsapp for all kinds of messages, videos, spiritual exhortations, emoz, jokes and fake news.  Some are with justified reasons and purposes, many Forwards are nuisance, other messages and videos are unwanted that require patience and time to delete. Whatsapp chat service alone has 400m users in India. (cf. MK George SJ, Use social media, but don’t be naïve, Matters India, 7^th October, 2020).

Whatsapp and Facebook can be dangerous tools. Today, Snapchat, TikTok and other platforms, have become the new “cool” apps for the young. How you use them is critical for the future. Here are some suggestions for responsible use: make responsible and creative use of them; know that they are ‘instruments’ only; spread message of love, instead hatred; more than religious and churchy  messages send  interreligious harmony messages; share  good news, not bad news;  share stories of hope, suffering, resilience and unity irrespective of castes, creed, class and gender; use them to educating towards critical consciousness; protect each other’s identity and privacy; uphold the dignity, rights and respect for the  poor, the minorities,  the marginalized  and the unemployed.

 Today, we will have to enter the world of the young, through their dynamic digital door and meet them where they are, through group experiences, digital means, internet and social media. Through the use of dynamic digital multimedia we get them engaged with videos, streaming, online webinar, audio, useful youth-friendly apps and interactive experiences, even with the use of QR codes. We need to take responsibility for the content we publish and forward; focus on truth and act as watchdog; provide with accurate news and facts from trustworthy sources; avoid sensationalism and use multimedia content discretely.