Misuse of social media comes under attack in NIC meet

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said there was an urgent need for an oversight mechanism to prevent and control such media in critical situations.

Voicing concerns over social media inciting tension in society, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that development of electronic media and information and networking technologies has turned out to be a double-edged sword.

He said there was a need to curb the vested interest of the trouble mongers by more effectively regulating the use of social networking technology, radio, TV and other such means of communication.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said state governments should lose no time to control communal violence sternly.

The local administration should prevent a small issue from snowballing into a huge controversy and arrest those responsible for spreading it, he said.

“The state should use all means at its disposal to punish those guilty for fanning communal violence and ensure a speedy crackdown on such elements irrespective of their political affiliations or influence,” the Prime Minister said.

“I appeal to parties and media that they should refrain from giving any political colour or taking any political mileage from such incidents,” Singh said.