M Zahidul Haque
During the on-going corona lockdown, Facebook is serving as a solace to the locked-down people passing their time in some creative activities and in keeping communication with friends, relatives and others. Some Facebook members have started practising poetry and music and their hidden talents are getting self-revelation. Some are trying to become COVID-19 shadow experts while others are moving towards establishing their leadership through posting various posts as well as hosting live sessions.
It is really unfortunate to find some guys engaged in mud-throwing to undermining the status/goodwill of some persons or institutions often ignoring ethical values. Some Facebook users are entertaining people with silly jokes and riddles. For instance, recently I came across a riddle—how rice can be converted into ice? The simple answer is—just removing the ‘r’ from ‘rice’, it would become ‘ice’!
The Facebook is also flooded with fake news/information, for instance, circulation of death news of critically ill patients who’re still alive but in ICUs or life-support. Often false news of sudden demise of certain celebrity is spread via Facebook posts.
Even official internal memos are sometimes made public by posting scanned copies. In a nutshell, every moment a variety of news and views are appearing on Facebook pages, some of which creates doubt and confusions!
Although there are some policy regulations set down by the Facebook authority often some users use Facebook to spread misinformation, rumours, hatred, etc. The governments of different countries have also laid down rules and regulations for the users of social media including Facebook. Recently Facebook faced some criticism regarding its policy while dealing with police racism with George Floyd.
Racism must be banished through ensuring equal justice for all irrespective of colours because ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’! However, Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg recently promised to review the Facebook policy by saying–“We’re going to review whether we need to change anything structurally to make sure the right groups and voices are at the table.”
Of fun and fashion whatever may be the trend, Facebook is functioning as an effective platform for expressions, creativity, citizens’ journalism, etc. Thanks to the Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg who with some of his friends founded Facebook while studying psychology at Harvard University.
What a creative creation! Here I remember Prof. Dr. Cathrine Drew Gilpin Faust, the 28th and 1st woman President of Harvard University who always put emphasis on the perpetuation of the art of creativity among the students.
Facebook is the largest social network in the world with more than one billion users. People all over the world are passing times in this corona pandemic by using Facebook!
(Author: Professor M Zahidul Haque, Department of Agricultural Extension and Information System, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka.)
