{"id":30509,"date":"2025-12-07T12:04:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T12:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=30509"},"modified":"2025-12-07T12:04:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T12:04:19","slug":"miracles-of-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=30509","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMiracles\u201d of Social Media"},"content":{"rendered":"
I was talking to a friend through my AirPods when a message notification popped up on my phone. I casually glanced at it \u2014 and froze. A post claimed, \u201cFormer captain so-and-so has passed away.\u201d
\nI told my friend, \u201cI\u2019ve just seen something strange. I\u2019ll call you back.\u201d This wasn\u2019t just a name on a screen. I had known this cricketer personally for years. I tried calling him immediately, but there was no response. Although I knew he was healthy, my mind went into overdrive. That very morning I had sent him my column on WhatsApp \u2013 the blue ticks showed he had read it.
\nThen my phone rang.
\nHis name flashed on the screen.
\nI answered in panic before he cheerfully said, \u201cAlive\u2026 alive!\u201d and burst into laughter.
\n\u201cThey\u2019ve killed me today!\u201d he said. \u201cDo people even think about what such news does to someone and their family? My phone hasn\u2019t stopped ringing all day. I\u2019ve been busy convincing everyone that I\u2019m still alive.\u201d
\nA little later, I saw another cricketer\u2019s post saying, \u201cI spoke to him. He is alive.\u201d Ironically, it helped spread the rumour even further. People who hadn\u2019t seen the original post now became aware of the fake news.
\nThis is the paradox of social media.
\nThere is no doubt that social media has revolutionized communication. Your words can now reach the world in seconds. Language barriers have disappeared. In the past, newspapers informed us the next day. Then came television. Now, information travels instantly.
\nBut the real question is: How do we separate truth from lies?
\nIn the old days, fake statements were easier to doubt. Today, with AI-generated videos and manufactured content, it\u2019s getting harder to tell what\u2019s real and what isn\u2019t.
\nEven in cricket, misinformation spreads wildly. Recently, a \u201cverified\u201d account under Babar Azam\u2019s name followed me. When I checked, it wasn\u2019t him \u2014 just someone using a similar username.
\nOnce, the blue tick meant authenticity. Now, anyone can buy one for a monthly fee. Its value has been diluted.
\nPeople now fabricate quotes from famous players just to attract attention. If someone dislikes a player, they create a negative fake statement in a famous name. Since it matches their bias, people believe it \u2014 and share it.
\nEven established media organizations sometimes fall into this trap. Viral posts are shared without proper verification because clicks and engagement have become more important than accuracy. Some even fabricate praises from international stars for local heroes. Fans feel good, the accounts earn money \u2014 but truth suffers.
\nWhenever I see a suspicious story, I try to verify it. Most of the time, there is no credible source behind it.
\nWe were always taught: No news is better than false news. Unfortunately, in today\u2019s race to be first, that principle has been forgotten.
\nWhen social media first arrived, it hurt traditional media. Players who once relied on journalists began posting directly to fans. Those who couldn\u2019t manage their accounts hired people to run them.
\nJournalists adapted too. We joined social platforms, expanded our reach, and learned the new language of digital media.
\nEvery technology brings benefits. But understanding and controlling its dangers is equally important.
\nThe average user believes what they see. I am a media professional, yet I was shaken by a fake post. Imagine the impact on common people.
\nAlways check the credibility of the source. A blue tick alone means nothing now \u2014 reputation matters more.
\nMedia houses must also resist sensationalism. False news might bring quick money, but lost credibility is almost impossible to regain.
\nSports, at least, should have a central portal where people can verify headlines. You can\u2019t doubt everything \u2014 but you should be able to confirm what seems suspicious.
\nPlatforms themselves must act. Accounts that repeatedly spread misinformation should be permanently banned.
\nUntil social media develops real credibility, traditional media will continue to survive \u2014 because in the end, truth still matters.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was talking to a friend through my AirPods when a message notification popped up on my phone. I casually glanced at it \u2014 and froze. A post claimed, \u201cFormer captain so-and-so has passed away.\u201d I told my friend, \u201cI\u2019ve just seen something strange. I\u2019ll call you back.\u201d This wasn\u2019t just a name on a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30509\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}