Daily Times

Sir: The verbatim objective of social media is to curtail the distance between families and to reconnect them. But this purpose now seems imaginary. The course of social media has taken its turn to a platform of suicide as well as a tool of murder, killings and uprisings amongst people. It has diminished the integrity, privacy and security of individuals. The malicious conduct of social networking sites has now augmented criminal activities among young generation thereby producing juveniles rather than intellectuals. Furthermore, the unforgettable “honour killing” case of Qandeel Baloch and the recent murder of the young university student in Mardan, gained its hype from the dais of “social media”, eventually overtaking precious lives. There are numerous veiled stories too, occurring every day, invisible from the eyes of the print media.

The government must take an instant action against such destructive aspects of social networking sites. Cyber rules must be re-devised and strict policies should be designed. Over and above, severe punishments for cyber-criminals should be incorporated in the law. In addition, easy access to the cyber-crime offices should be granted. The opportunity for surveillance and prevention must be extended to all users, by adopting simple-to-use methods for users to report malevolent web sites and activities of other users ultimately saving valuable lives.

ANUM RASHID

Islamabad