4 ms·

The logical solution is to focus on how to stop lynchings, not how to stop "fake news". At the end of the day, these are still murders and treating them as anyt

by nv-vn 8y ago

The logical solution is to focus on how to stop lynchings, not how to stop "fake news". At the end of the day, these are still murders and treating them as anything else, especially for the purpose of smuggling censorship into law, is disgusting.

hrktb 8y ago
Yes, the angle of the article and what the government/authorities are doing is so weird it’s crazy. > [local authorities] hiring street performers and “rumor busters” to visit villages to spread public awareness. One such “rumor buster” was killed by a mob Thursday in the eastern state of Tripura. Their ground problem is clearly not fake news and people being misinformed.
Broken_Hippo 8y ago
I'm in complete agreement that the bigger problem is the lynchings and mobs. These happen without phones and fake news, and blaming it entirely on phones and fake news ignores the bigger issue. That said, I think fake news is a lesser issue that still needs addressed. I very highly doubt it will be stopped completely, but I do think the world could do a much better job of educating its citizens along with having competent police forces that respond adequately and investigate such rumors and fake news. Between education and gaining trust from the people, I think these will lessen the effect. Weirdly, some of this stuff might help stop the mobs as well, but maybe not.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
ramblerman 8y ago
Agreed, from the end of the article, even the person sent in to warn of fake news was beaten to death. Don't forget these are the same areas where honor killings happen all too frequently. It's a deeply rooted societal problem and it all seems a bit easy to hide under the skirts of 'fake news' and blame whatsapp for these instances.
- taherchhabra 8y ago
  it's a societal problem but the big social media platforms amplify that social behaviour. I am sure we still dont know the effects of social media on society, so simply thinking of it as a societal problem is also a bit easy. Its more of a societal+technology problem

by nv-vn 8y ago

hrktb 8y ago

Yes, the angle of the article and what the government/authorities are doing is so weird it’s crazy. > [local authorities] hiring street performers and “rumor busters” to visit villages to spread public awareness. One such “rumor buster” was killed by a mob Thursday in the eastern state of Tripura. Their ground problem is clearly not fake news and people being misinformed.

Broken_Hippo 8y ago

I'm in complete agreement that the bigger problem is the lynchings and mobs. These happen without phones and fake news, and blaming it entirely on phones and fake news ignores the bigger issue. That said, I think fake news is a lesser issue that still needs addressed. I very highly doubt it will be stopped completely, but I do think the world could do a much better job of educating its citizens along with having competent police forces that respond adequately and investigate such rumors and fake news. Between education and gaining trust from the people, I think these will lessen the effect. Weirdly, some of this stuff might help stop the mobs as well, but maybe not.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

ramblerman 8y ago

Agreed, from the end of the article, even the person sent in to warn of fake news was beaten to death. Don't forget these are the same areas where honor killings happen all too frequently. It's a deeply rooted societal problem and it all seems a bit easy to hide under the skirts of 'fake news' and blame whatsapp for these instances.

taherchhabra 8y ago
it's a societal problem but the big social media platforms amplify that social behaviour. I am sure we still dont know the effects of social media on society, so simply thinking of it as a societal problem is also a bit easy. Its more of a societal+technology problem