Why are we so serious with the social networking sites?

Only recently, there was the report of authorities from different countries asking for private

data about users and their posts to several of the social networking sites. Apparently, there is

nothing wrong in it. Anybody can ask for any sort of data or information, and there can be

hundreds of purposes for doing the thing. Especially when the authorities demand

information, there must be a specific purpose for the same.

Often, we do not speculate when authorities demand data. Sometimes, it is for the headcount

of population; at some other times, the data may go into a statistical base that can lead to a

certain conclusion leading towards, or at least pointing the direction for, a social growth and

development. But perhaps, this was in the pre-WikiLeaks era!

Post WikiLeaks, we must try to understand why the authorities need the data from the social

networking sites. Are they then trying to find out spies among us, who spread hate speeches,

violence and the likes? So far, we knew spies are only a few and the difficulty in finding

them out was primarily due to their low count! Now it seems, every alternate head in a bus

stand queue seems like a spy! Or at least that’s how the authorities are looking at it, ain’t it?

Let the authorities do whatever they think is correct, rightful or needed. This post is not at all

to bash their wish, neither to say we are endangered by such attempts. This is about

something else…

I have been on some of the social networking sites for 5+ years by now. I have seen the

gradual change in trend among the users. Today, in order to get maximum likes, one needs to

put an image as a post for sure! If the image comes with a relevant text, it is most welcome. If

it comes with a somewhat irrelevant text, then also it will do. Even if it does not have a text,

it is fine! On the contrary, if there is a text without any image posted with it, however

meaningful the text might be, it will be viewed least, and liked even less!

It is not to complain about the trend but just to draw the attention of readers towards it, which

we may not be aware of consciously. Why I am calling this a change of trend is because this

wasn’t the case even 5 years back! At that time, a good text used to get a god viewership as

well!

What does this change signify? Simple- people do not want serious stuff out here! The

population today is gradually shifting from TV towards internet and smartphones, where they

get the TV moving with them! Thus, internet and smartphones are not just a necessity but

also a source of entertainment. In another 5 years’ time, they will actually start replacing the

TV as the primary source of entertainment. It is evident from the fact that several TV

production and media powerhouses worldwide are taking up seriously the matter of feeding

live stream on the internet!

Since this is so, the social networking sites are also now becoming more of sources of

entertainment rather than a place for serious discussion (which the grumpy-faced people

mostly do!). It is evident from the changing trend. If it is true that an image without a text can

get you 10 times more like than a thoughtful expression in a text without an image, then we

may conclude that the social networking sites are nothing but children’s picture book. We all

know about those picture books that the kids are so fond of, and they can spend hours

colouring the objects inside. They are not a burden to the kid’s mind as there is no text

involved. It is only about certain objects and images. No need for an intellectual exercise- just

colour them objectively! While aesthetics increase in this way, logical reasoning has no place

out here!

So, is it that social networking sites are actually getting crowded with people who do not

want to take the pain of an intellectual discussion or exercise? Are they just becoming kid’s

colouring book in a digital form? It seems like that only. Pity!

Now let’s come back to what we started with- the authorities asking for user’s information on

social networking sites. If most of the users are kid-like, or at least so when surfing through

the social networking sites, do the authorities really need at all to bother about who’s posting

what and what not? Yes, some recent trends have shown that several posts and communities

on social networking sites have incited a public furore! But I think it’s nothing like a fad- a

common term in fashion that means only a temporary outburst of a certain like that

disappears within hours.

The more the authorities will give importance to the social networking sites, the more the

psyche of the common man will take the posts seriously, resulting in such outbursts. The less

the authorities put importance to these sites; the common man will also start forgetting about

the posts as soon as they are read, thereby reducing such public outrage and furore in a few

years’ time! Believe me, it’s just a fad that’s temporary! The more importance you give to it,

the more importance it gains, and vice versa.

I am sure the authorities have other more meaningful things to do- like putting a democratic

IT Act in place, making sure secret data are not stolen digitally, running the internet services

faster and safer, tracking email ID’s that try to dupe people by alluring them of lotteries, etc.

Why to waste time after something that is a fad and will only fade away with time!

The social networking sites also have a role to play to ease the job for the authorities. Is it

also not their moral responsibility to filter out posts that can be objectionable to a celebrity, a

public figure, an organization or an authority? Can they not have a system in place where

they filter out all the posts, and send back the objectionable ones to the users asking them to

review or post on their own risks? If the user still decides to post, publish it and let the user

be ready for the consequences. If the user is level headed, perhaps s/he will simply delete the

post before publishing the same. Does that not half the role the authorities will otherwise

have to play?

Disclaimer:- This post is not to disrespect, dishonour or disregard any person, individual,

organization, authority or anyone else. It is purely meant for provoking thought among the

readers without questioning or criticizing any act whatsoever of any individual, organization

or authority. Anybody finding this objectionable due to any reason whatsoever can kindly

submit a comment regarding the same, which will be considered immediately.