By Payal Mitra
Until very recently, I never bothered to understand twitter. I thought it was extremely irrelevant and well?idiotic, with celebrities and all kinds of people literally breathing via twitter.
But after the recent Sunanda Pushkar episode, I decided to read the entire twitter exchange between her and the Pakastani journalist, Mehr Tahir, who allegedly had an affair with union minister, Shashi Tharoor.
And I came to the following conclusions:
1)???? Social Media can further an entire generation of online Sherlock Holmes(es): Apart from the autopsy results, a little snooping could be done by professional hackers or the company itself to verify all facts of the case. Whether our honourable minister was indeed having an affair, or if their accounts were actually hacked as a cover-up for a much darker story. ?At least? then there would be firm circumstantial evidence to pin point possible suicide owing to infidelity, or we?d know if we were to start looking afresh for motive of a different kind altogether. ?I wouldn?t be surprised if Arnab Goswami or the CBI started hiring online sleuths.
2)???? It?s the new NSA and law enforcement tool: ?Move over NSA. Social media companies like Facebook and Twitter might someday have a database larger than that of NSA, what is referred to as Big Data. ?One could track the whereabouts of suspects through their various check-ins and photographs or develop entire character analysis of individuals and criminals of their choice through the way they conduct themselves online, making it easier to psychoanalyse their possible actions. After all, how careful could a person possibly be? And we?d have our very own segment of twitti-leaks. ?For instance, very recently, one Mr Hayden, a passenger aboard the same train with a former NSA head, eavesdropped on his conversation and posted about the latter?s disparaging comments about the NSA administration, hence creating quite an uproar. The common man now has the means of busting scams and rackets, possibly keeping law offenders in check.
3)???? As a means for companies to lay off employees:? ?As word goes around, several companies keep a regular tab on their employees? online profiles. The recent case of a young woman lawyer, suspended for her Facebook remarks on the ?silly behaviour? of some male colleagues at the Calicut Bar Association echoes the sad truth of gender discrimination still prevalent at the work place. But she bravely and rightly said that she will not apologise and will fight the suspension. Many papers recall other instances of workers being sent notices for inappropriate photographs posted on the social networking sites.
4)???? Yes of course, its entertainment: ??From following your favourite celebrity to following Poonam Pandey?s welcome pictures for our Prime Minister?s arrival on twitter. ?From social dos to useful news bulletins. ?It is all there. And yes of course, PDA. How could you possibly profess your love to your beloved without a hundred status updates or pictures? And worse still, break-ups. Or venting out your anger at your husband?s alleged affair? Who can be a better judge than the compassionate people of the world out there?
But some of the best, (or the worst?):
- ?This beautiful earth is now officially 2014 years old, amazing! @safiyyahn?
- ?How did Beyonce?s album go to #1 in 100 countries when there are only 7? Asia, ?Africa, Antartica, Australia, North and South America and Europe. @CakeLikeDylan? (sic;)
- Or? http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Morgan-Freeman-Mandela.png
I sincerely hope this is their truly amazing sense of humour speaking.
I realise I have been too pessimistic. All in all, this sense of need for people, rather ?tweeple? to share their lives over the internet megaphone in a bid to get attention or impress others more than often backfires. There have been many instances of cyber bullying, stalking and furthering prejudice on racial or religious grounds.? Of course, social networking is not all bad. Their mechanism of instant connect, accessibility, mobility and recreation are works of brilliance. But what such sites lack is empathy. The line between private and public is too blurred. ?Viewers often get vicarious pleasure off the lives of other people, forgetting that behind all the abuse, accusations, pleas and drama, there are real people.
To be fair, social media and technology do its share of spreading public awareness. Be it the Nirbhaya case, or the slamming Tarun Tejpal.? Exposing corruption or bringing to notice news of any kind; all have actively helped to make us more socially aware and hopefully socially active too, in the non-virtual world.? It is now up to millions of users like us to not let the cons override the pros and remain grounded in the real world.
Payal is a second year student at St. Stephen?s College, Delhi, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics. When she is not trying to make sense of endless equations and the most complex theories, she is an avid reader who likes to believe that she has a strong liking for the world outside physics too. She has a knack for finding problems, and fervently prays for a brainwave to their solutions someday. She hopes to help reflect change in society, wherever possible.?For any comment, please email her at: [email protected]
