The virtual views

New wave

Online social campaigns are now the order of the day. Access to the internet has provided people with a tool to express themselves without any mediation and initiate debates on all issues under the sky. While most youngsters acknowledge that the virtual world is an invaluable space, some of them feel that there must be an authority to regulate online campaigns to make sure the space is not misused. ‘Metrolife’ speaks to young Bengalureans on the power of the net and whether there is a need to regulate content.

The reliability factor

Medha Seth,  a student of information science, CMRIT, says that she prefers reading about current issues in newspapers rather than going online. “I prefer getting the latest news and information about campaigns from newspapers. I don’t rely on online news and apps for updates. What about those who don’t have access to a computer? How do they manage to keep pace with what’s happening around the world? It is obviously from newspapers. Also, not everything that is written online can be completely trusted.”

Sense of continuity

Abraar Syed, a student of information science, CMRIT, feels that social campaigns will be effective only if those who post comments are focussed on what they want to say and promote it well. “Social campaigns will gain wide acceptance if the person or group is focussed. The space must not be used to target or defame someone. Most online social campaigns have a beginning but they don’t have an end. There isn’t a sense of continuity and that’s why they lose their steam.”

Exercising restraint

Keerthi Gopalakrishnan, a student of telecom engineering, CMRIT, feels that the threat of people posting anything they want is real because there is no authority to monitor and regulate the content. “People should exercise some amount of restraint when expressing their views online. Online social campaigns must be used to further a cause for the greater good than incite hatred and spark violence. People should not be allowed to take the virtual space for granted.” 

Powerful medium

Pooja MS, a student of Mount Carmel College, thinks that online campaigns are taken very seriously these days and it is mostly those between the ages of 20 and 25 years who follow them. “Online campaigns have a lot of power to change people’s perception towards a particular issue. Most youngsters, including myself, follow these campaigns and sometimes formulate our views and opinions based on what we choose to read and follow online. The power of social media is indisputable.” 

Discretion needed

Nishath, a student of interior design, Mount Carmel College, feels that it is hard to distinguish between what’s genuine and fake on the internet. “How do you judge whether a piece of news or an online social campaign is genuine or not? People are free to express their views online and post their comments but I think the reader must pick up only what is reliable and true and this can be done by exercising our discretion and not blindly following what is floated online.”

(As told to Nina C George)