By Anil Nair
We have weaponised social media to gain instant visibility, with posts that stir common thinking or express a perspective that’s controversial, provocative, or both. Social media has evolved into a vehicle for bold views and bolder reactions, spurred by the cloak of anonymity it provides on the one hand, and the exponential reverberation it creates on the other.
People who wish to stay connected with personal and professional friends and acquaintances, or those wishing to build a network to support their progress, use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn extensively. Another trigger for staying connected 24/7 is the fear of missing out (FOMO) — on news, social events, or online trends.
To preserve the image the social media enthusiast wants to propagate, the storyline could be fictitious, the pictures could be edited, and the narrative could be fake. And it isn’t without deleterious side effects. Whatever your motive when you publicise events in your life, like a picture from a colourful holiday abroad, greeting a celebrity, or eating at an exotic restaurant, it’s like one-upmanship. In a sense, you’re competing in a race to celebrityhood, and that could induce a variety of reactions. Maybe a dismissive sneer in a few who have been there, done that, no reactions at all, or threatening behaviour from some hiding behind online anonymity. Like cyberbullies who could cause psychological damage over time — or self-harm in the case of the excessively vulnerable.
Knowingly or unknowingly, posts consumed could evoke feelings of inadequacy even in passive participants — more so when the mind decides that the other person is undeservedly wearing better clothes, driving a better car, or living in a better house.
When the medium itself exacerbates anxiety and addiction, excessive screen time and irregular sleep patterns could become way of life too, affecting the fulfilment of relationships and responsibilities.
It’s bizarre that as war overtakes West Asia and all eyes are trained on what the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, will do in response to Israeli attacks and American strikes, there is much attention on some of his decade-old tweets on poetry, emotions, and relationships, including one in which he described himself as naughty and playful.
Equally so that the International Tennis Federation and the Women’s Tennis Association recently released a report about the abuse tennis players received in 2024. Of the 1.6 million posts analysed deploying artificial intelligence, 8,000 were abusive or threatening. They came from 4,200 separate accounts, targeting 458 players; 26% of such messages were aimed at just five players, with one player receiving 263 from a single account. Not surprisingly, about 40% of the abuse emanated from angry gamblers.
And then there are perplexing, sometimes deviant, online challenges to induce teenagers into treading on infirm ground. Like chewing peppers or drinking sauce that’s unbearably hot, walking blindfold in traffic, or choking oneself. The most horrific is the blue whale challenge that lasts up to 50 days, commencing with innocuous tasks that become increasingly dangerous and demeaning, ending with instructions to inflict serious harm upon or kill oneself.
Are we living in a post-truth epoch? Misinformation is yet another major threat to civil society, given social media’s reach and ubiquity. While past events have made sceptics of many of us, it has eroded trust in institutions too. For instance, during Covid-19, people were thoroughly confused about whether getting vaccinated was for better or worse, thanks to an overdose of conspiracy theories.
Social media is also fertile ground for selling products and services, misrepresenting details about efficacy, impact, or side effects. Like when tobacco companies’ market new nicotine products like vapes or e-cigarettes. Or when companies selling sun tan lotion present themselves as experts, emphasising areas of scientific uncertainty, while discrediting research that doesn’t serve their purpose.
What about influencers, and bots? It’s amazing that social media users can expound views on any topic, regardless of expertise, qualifications, or the authenticity of their facts. And it’s baffling when research reveals that posts containing misinformation reach more people, far more rapidly. Maybe untruths are more engaging than bland facts?
When algorithms are deployed, they create content that’s individualised, based on online behaviour, motivated to get users to spend more time on the platform.
Brands that seek to reach unexploited buyer niches engage influencers who are incentivised to produce favourable content that generate higher views — and higher sales. Influencers are often accused of discovering virtues that products don’t possess, or exaggerating them.
And then there are bots, deployed to run disinformation campaigns at scale, be it to sell health and wellness products, create social unrest, or influence elections. While bots have been generally difficult to spot, now there are effective tools to detect bot activity.
There is no doubt that those trying to coerce or manipulate others through social media have a deep understanding of human psychology. They know that repetition often creates new truths, that users have no time to fact-check, and are inclined to believe views consistent with their inherent beliefs.
Are we doing enough? The UN offers a holistic framework for pre-emptive action. This includes building societal resilience, offering empowered choices over content consumed, refining the business models of tech companies and advertisers, government interventions to facilitate the free flow of authentic information, and the highest levels of transparency and freedom for researchers and academics to help us make course correction.
But two prime constituents need to do much more. Web conglomerates — by investing more in robust policies, fact-checking partnerships, algorithmic controls, and research grants. And the consuming public who must not become gullible, willing victims.
The writer is founder, ThinkStreet.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.