MIL Opinion Weaponizing Internet

1. The Truth behind all Lies
Internetisa source of information.Itgivesnews,articles,entertainmentandotherstoprovide
knowledge andideastopeopleforthemtoknow whatis happeninginourcountryor to the whole
world. Mediaisboth a heroand a villaintothe world,itcan raise awarenessona certainthingbutit can
alsodestroylivesinjustaclick.I am filledwithgratitudethatsocial mediawascreatedyetitis
despairingtoknowhowotherpeople canbe selfishenoughtouse thistool onlyfortheirowngood.The
“news”on the internetare well foundedanddependable because itmaybe untrue,biasorfiltered.But
doesthe informationwe getfromthe internetreliable?Orisitjusta propagandawhichmeansfalse and
exaggeratedinformation?
Accordingto an article of Maria RessaentitledPropagandaWar: “Weaponizingthe Internet”,social
mediacampaignsmeanttoshape publicopinion,teardownreputations,andcrippletraditional media
institution,whichisrelevantlytrue base fromwhat isreallyhappeningnowadays.Indeed,itisdisturbing
howa false newsora propagandacan spreadina minute all overthe worldwithoutevencriticizingthe
content.Political,economical,social andglobal issuesare the oftentargetsof the propaganda, foritis
one of theirwaysto threatenandsowfearon the people.Itisreallydisappointinghow apersons’
perceptioncanbe easilychange because of whattheysee throughmedia.Itissucha dismayon howan
unauthorizedandunreliablesource are undoubtedlybeingtrustedbythe citizens.
“Weaponizingthe internet”meansthatbythe use of gadgetspeople caneasilysendorcreate false
informationorthe disinformationbypostingitonsocial media.Bydoingthis,itcan affectthe mindset
of the people.
For me,there are lotsof dangersindoinga propaganda.First,itremovesthe justsocietythatwe expect
to have.If we letthose people whoare alwaysspreadingfalse newsandinformation justtodirtthe
name of otherpeople,the fairnessandjustice will notmaintaininthe state.Second,itkillslives.Many
claimsthat propagandacan weakensomeoneseldesteem;itcanmake themfeel thatthey’re livesare
not worthlivingforbecause of the fake newsthatare attackingthem.Sometimes,people who are
experiencingitdon’tknowhowtohandle itand it will pushhimtocut hislife.Lastly,itisinhumane,
spreadingfalse informationaboutsomeoneislike removinghisrightsasa person.Everyeachof us
deservestobe treated right,we are all equal sono one deservestobe treatedasanimalsandno one
has the rightsto do inhumane acttowardsany person.
Alsofor me the real dangersof propagandaisthat the mediasor social mediasof todayare the ones
whocontrol the mindsof people andthatis the reasonwhy people easilybelieve ininformationthatis
postedonsocial mediaevenif itisnot true or the article theyreadis notreliable.Alsoitaffectsthe
behaviourof a personandof course if propagandacontinue torule the mediamore people will be
deceived.
As an informationliteratewe needtobe more careful orbe critical in choosingreliable sources.Alsowe
shouldnoteasilybelieve innewsorarticle especiallyif itispostedinsocial mediaandwe should notlet
mediacontrol ourlives.Justremember,soonerorlaterourfuture mightdependonthe tipof our
fingersand “We mayprogressindividuallybutasone nation,we will fall concurrently.”