Social media users challenged: Be respectful

News exchange in Facebook is a classic example of democratization of information. Reports said that Facebook has changed the way users consume news such that searching has become highly personal and has cleared away third-party editorial judgment.

Facebook, like any Web 2.0 applications (e.g., Twitter, YouTube), is characterized by interactive applications compared to its earlier Web format which only consists of passive texts and hyperlinks to information sources. As a social media, it makes us both the source and receiver of information. In doing this, it places us at the center of our own chosen process. It is our need for information that defines the scope of news coverage. Every bit of event becomes a newsworthy piece of information depending on our value judgment. Lastly, it is the speed by which information is brought to our knowledge that gives social media an edge over other news media.

The bigger issue, however, points to the culture and quality of information exchange. Transparency, in this case, is already an understatement. It is the politics of “liking” a particular Facebook post that somehow develops a culture of conformity, which is reinforced by cyberbullying. A lot of people have been shamed without being given the proper forum to explain themselves. To some extent, it speaks of the tyranny of the majority; but in our case, we can be an adept majority. As J.S. Mill said, “If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.” Thus, the manner by which we express our disagreement over an issue paints a picture of our civility, and most importantly of how we accord respect to our neighbor.

In a society with high level of political tolerance, people do not impose their beliefs on others but seek to raise the quality of dialogue and peaceably live amid their differences. Hence, it is high time to check not just our Facebook status but also our degree of respect toward each other.

—MA. ESMERALDA A. ABARABAR,

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