BY HAFIZ MUDASAR REHMAN
Media is considered as the fourth pillar of the state. It is an opinion builder and acts like a bridge between the public and the government.
Media imparts content through a number of mediums like electronic media, print media and social media. We are living in an era of technology where people have access to media but we do not know how to use it. This is an alarming situation in our country.
Social media is becoming popular day by day as compared to print and electronic media. People spend most of their time on social media as it offers diverse content.
Today I am going to talk about media literacy because it is important to know how much information is enough for us.
Due to a variety of content, audience is unable to choose which information is right and how much of it is enough for them. Social media is becoming a very strong platform to spread rumours, fake news and promote agendas of any kind. Due to less media literacy, social media users share information without crosschecking. It is about time people get educated about its use.
We have so many examples of unfortunate events happening over social media. For example, there are too many rumours on Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and other platforms. The Mashal Khan murder case was also the result of a fake propaganda created over social media.
Media literacy means use of media in a positive way but unfortunately in our country, it does not exist. Being a responsible citizen of the country, it is our duty to educate people how to use it. These are some of the rules which every social media user should follow:
- Always share authentic news.
- Do not share rumours.
- Do not share unethical content against any religious sects.
- Always use correct grammar and sentence structure.
- Do not stalk people on social media.
- Do not add strangers.
- Do not share content against government and law enforcing agencies.
- Always crosscheck information.
Nobody can live without social media. We are becoming addicted to it. Social media addiction leads to these phobias:
- FOBO (Fear of being offline)
- FOMO (Fear of missing out)
Being offline is hard for every user. People are online even during their classes and work. Fear of missing out is another fear where when we post anything on social media, we constantly check how many people have seen our stories and statuses. When someone does not comment on our pictures or statuses, we feel hated and inferior.
I request all social media users to use it in a positive way because its excess use is harmful. We spend most of our time on social media but we do not get anything productive out of it. Excessive use of gadgets is also injurious to our health as its rays are harmful to our eyes.
Government should look into this matter seriously. I suggest that media literacy subjects should be included in schools, colleges and universities.
