Social media lacks accountability, losing relevance, say experts

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, May 30

Lack of accountability, monitoring and biased views were putting a question mark on social media being the third or alternate media to traditional print and electronic media.

Jai Deep Arya, in charge of Bharat Swabhiman Trust, Patanjali Yogpeeth, stated this today during a seminar on the topic ‘Social Media Being an Alternate to Print and Electronic Media’. The seminar was organised by Press Club on the occasion of Hindi Press Day.

Citing many cases of fake, irrelevant, false and biased reports being circulated on social media platforms, which many people take seriously, Arya said as there was no accountability about these reports, being forwarded, liked or re tweeted, there was always a question mark on the authenticity of the news or report.

“Whereas, in contrast, the print media is still regarded as reliable and trustworthy, as a whole lot of intellectuals, professionals, experts and trained people work in this segment. There is accountability involved in this profession with certain parameters and standards set up.”

“When electronic media arrived in the late 80’s, people feared print media will go into oblivion but it has emerged stronger. Similarly, with the advent of internet-based social media platforms, it was again assumed that not only print but electronic media will get affected. But in a span of just five to eight years, users, readers and viewers of these three mediums are realising that social media can’t be an alternative to the main two mediums though it can be supportive and millions can be reached through it,” said Veda expert Dr Vishnu Dutt Rakesh.

Dr Rakesh talked about the first Hindi newspaper Udand Martand by Jugal Kishore Shukla, published in 1826 from Kolkata, then Calcutta, and Garhwali newspaper published in 1930 from Dehradun by Vishwambahr Dutt Chandola. He said both faced strict censorship from British and Tehri Garhwal dynasty rulers but always advocated freedom of expression.

Mayor Manoj Garg said focused, unbiased and factual reporting done by newspapers and electronic media had a definite edge above the social media, where many times just propaganda oriented or biased news without verified facts, comments and posts was circulated.

Noted journalist Gobind Pant Raju’s message was also read out at the occasion by Press Club office-bearers Sanjay Rawal and Rajendra Nath Goswami.