'Hijacked tweet' exposes ugly side of social media
Expert says uncontrolled self-verification system is the need of the hour
Abu Dhabi: A ‘hijacked tweet' which warned of a tsunami, causing panic in Malaysia two days ago, is a very good example of social media becoming a dangerous tool, according to a technology expert.
But an uncontrolled self verification system in social media, which deems a distant dream currently, will be a reality soon and will fully transform the traditional medium, Ahmad Salem, the Middle East editor of The Next Web Middle East, said on Sunday.
Salem who was a speaker at the Social Media Forum, organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, spoke to Gulf News on the sidelines of the event.
Although social media is a very powerful tool which may even gradually replace traditional media, its misuse could be dangerous unless an uncontrolled self verification system emerges, he said. Salem cites the example of a ‘hijacked tweet on a tsunami alert, where anybody can spread rumours or unwanted news'.
Ideal platform
"It is like a gun… it's safe in the hands of a security personnel but dangerous with a criminal," he said.
"But social media plus [an] uncontrolled self-verification system will be an ideal platform," he said.
Asked how a self-verification system will be shaped in social media and how it can be uncontrolled, he said: "I don't know how it will function. It looks impractical now; but it's like how last generation thought about real time news! Nobody imagined in the past that real time news would a reality. Like that uncontrolled self verification will also be reality," Salem said.
He added that at present there is a controlled verification in social media.
A twitter account titled ‘Breaking News Online' which has a large number of followers, is one example. "They pick the unbiased news from traditional media and post them online so that authenticity is ensured," Salem said.
