Media And Terror Attacks (New Media)

Just recently, ISIS claimed responsibility for the recent bombings of churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, without providing direct evidence that ISIS members carried out the attacks. In the immediate aftermath of the bombings, the Sri Lankan government took an interesting action while details were still being sorted out. They shut down many internet services, under the stated purpose of  preventing the spread of false details about the attacks. This received praise from other countries, while many Sri Lankans had to rely on the few unblocked government channels to find out the status of friends, family, etc. This leads to an interesting ethical dilemma. Was such a choice a proportional response, or an overreaction?

I believe that the answer has shades of both. On one hand, baseless speculation by third parties would be prevented from reaching people and giving a false impression of the actual situation. On the other hand, the blocking of communication between those worried for the safety of loved ones will be left in the dark, and could possibly end up giving a false impression of the actual situation. In the end, such matters are a case by case basis, and unless such an act is illegal, than it is marginally acceptable.

Comments

  1. Alyssa KirbyJune 4, 2019 at 2:00 AM

    I agree with you on your comment that such matters instances should be taken on a case-to-case basis. There are so many guidelines that are black and white when it comes to serious issues and I do believe it would be beneficial if each situation was handled on a case-to-case basis to avoid any further issues on our society.

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