Do we need social media at all? What will happen if the government authorities all over the world ban it for at least a month? No doubt, we will be back to real life, far away from the virtual world. Sorry, I am not an ambassador of any kind of censorship or crackdown on the people’s freedom of expression. But the way rumours are carpet bombed with ‘great authenticity’, at times in the form of an announcement of gifts by corporate giants, or the death or divorce of celebrities, or even a terror attack, I am compelled to think of such a wild idea.

While football legend Pele is admitted to a hospital following major health complications associated with cancer, some of the social media users in my native Kerala were so quick to spread the rumour from the anonymous source about something you can all probably guess. Why are we after all sorts of negativity?

How many obits have social media addicts written, paying tribute to those who are still alive? How many celebrity divorces have been ‘confirmed’ by the same bunch while the same people are happily enjoying a vacation with their families? We spread rumours like wildfire; we peep into the privacy of others, of course with voyeuristic pleasure.

Social media is a powerful tool for sure. At times it is even a political weapon when the masses rise against autocratic rulers who resort to banning such platforms. Battles are not always fought on the grounds; at times social media platforms also play the same role. However, our addiction to rumours often causes huge damage.

Agreed, social media is a great platform for creative expression, but if that expression is rooted in total negativity, how can we accommodate it? Why should we peep into the private space of others? While you are celebrating the birthday of your tiny tot, with great music and partying, what if your neighbour keeps on telling others that you and your wife are on the verge of a breakup? Psychologically, people experience a kind of pleasure when they peep into the place belonging to others, but have you ever thought about how it impacts the people on the other side of your voyeuristic crosswire?

When I share the idea of a social media ban for a month, I am not oblivious that the autocrats are always afraid of any platform that would potentially destabilize their regime. They crack down on such platforms and put an iron curtain over them. I am also aware of the authorities that use the same platforms to spread fake information to divert people’s attention from the burning issues that surround the society. That’s the political dimension that most of the canard mongers fail to understand, and instead of trying to address the realities facing the society, they prepare their own concoction that has nothing to do with our times or our history.

Just one question.
How many of those social media posts, which disguise as news and announcements, bring cheers into your life? Did any such post give a positive direction to your thoughts? After reading them, did you ever feel the beauty of this planet, or for that matter the charm of your native place, or your family? I, for one, often feel disgusted and such unwanted communications never bring a smile to my face.

If what you do for your own pleasure does not bring cheer to society, and if such messages make us feel that we are living in a bad time and even a worse space, what is the use of such a platform? Can we forget social media for one month and go back to the reality of human relationships? Can we sit with our parents and kids in the evening and talk about real things? Can we go back to those good old days when we used to have those evening gatherings in the courtyard, discussed anything and everything under the sky, and fought over it with great affection and love? Can we bring back that tactile feeling of life through such real interactions? If a self-imposed social media ban can do that, I would say we should keep away from the virtual platform for some time for reality’s sake, and the bond of humanity!