Introduction : Social media is the most common thing in our life nowadays. In this modern era of 2020 most of the people specially teenagers starts their day through opening the social media apps and ends also with it. Social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram have become an important part of our daily life starting from memes to uploading profile pictures to status etc. But within this, It is also seen that somewhere or the other Social media is dividing us.
Is Social Media really dividing us?
Nowadays in a country like India where Internet is so cheap in rate and with a large number of population it is common to have a higher number of users of social media.
We cannot deny the advantage of social media through social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter it became very easy to gain the daily information and news. One don't have to wait in front of the television exactly at 7PM to get informed about small or big incidents happening in the globe.
Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, Twitter handles and WhatsApp shares a lot of memes with simple limited words and pictures through which we can easily get to know the roots of any incident.
Not only news but there are many Facebook pages, Instagram accounts etc shares memes or jokes in such a humorous and comical way which can make any person laugh out loudly,It is also seen during a breakdown or any kind of mental stress some motivational pages of Facebook and Instagram really helps a person to gain mental peace and strength.
Just like every coin has two sides Social media have also some disadvantages. Fake news spread through social media platforms is one of the major problem in today's society. Memes,WhatsApp forwards etc had resulted in hazardous crimes like mob lynching, as was the case where at least 20 people were killed in 2018 as a result of misinformation circulated on social media.
Hate messages targeting some selected communities is also spread through social media by hate mongers for their personal political agenda. Fake news and misinformation on social media had gone to such an extend during this pandemic that on March 7, 2020, Prime minister Narendra Modi had to make an appeal to not believe any rumours related to Covid 19.
It can be clearly seen that Social media is somehow dividing people of different communities instead of uniting them.Main blame is to be given upon fake news forwards and paid hate mongers.
Conclusion :
Memes and other social media forwards, status etc should always be a source of fun and correct information which can be helpful for the society, We should always try to take the correct advantages and stay away from the disadvantages specially from hate messages or fake information. Before a single share on any social media platforms we must always ask ourselves three questions is it true? is it necessary? And is it kind? , This way we can protect ourselves as well as the society from the disadvantages of internet and social media.