Social media gives sleepless nights to politicians: minister

Social media needs some restraints so that wrong information is not circulated and politicians can sleep well, says Goa minister Nilesh Cabral.

Wrong information on social media can give people in power sleepless nights, said the state power minister, addressing an audience of current and former legislators here Wednesday.

The event had been organised by the Goa Legislators Forum to mark the Goa Legislators' Day.

"Social media is very vocal...It may not have been so strong during your (former MLAs') tenure. Social media is so strong now," he said.

"I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing curbs on social media....you require curbs on social media for (to prevent circulation of) wrong information," he said.

The BJP MLA was apparently referring to the Union government's warning to social media platforms last year that they would face action if they took no steps to curb spread of fake news.

"If the information is right then there should not be curbs," Cabral said, adding that social media is becoming a source of stress.

Sometimes statements which politicians have never made are attributed to them and people begin to believe them as "facts of life", he said.

"Curbs on social media are required so that people in the positions (of responsibility), specially politicians can enjoy a good sleep. We, as Indians, should be able to get peaceful sleep. Your sleep is disturbed when allegations are levelled without any reason," the minister said.

He also said that people's expectations from legislators "never decrease, in fact they keep on increasing".

"The more work you do, the expectations rise," Cabral said.