Letter to BS: FB, WhatsApp are put on the cross for spreading fake news

Apropos “Arrested development” (September 6); we are in an era of misplaced pursuit of villains. Social media facilitators like Facebook or WhatsApp are put on the cross for spreading fake news. Prior to the advent of social media, we had the innocuous “paid news”. But this was seasonal and largely during elections, had to be paid for and finite in circulation. 

The dissemination of news is now free and instant, and at the touch of a key, reaches millions through repeaters. The state is helpless against such technology but it has the tools to chasten initiators or propagators. Prompt and severe retribution is a must. The efforts at reforming the medium or censoring content are better utilised in the swift and visible enforcement of the law.

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R Narayanan Navi Mumbai

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