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Trial by social media

Dec 08, 2017 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

 

The media is being patently unfair to that school teacher of Bishop’s High School who is being accused of being a sexual predator. The teacher is being tried and convicted in the court of public opinion and the media is contributing its fair share to this sordid state of affairs.
In any developed country, the teacher would have already brought an action in the court claiming that, given the nature of the public coverage of the allegations against him, he cannot be reasonably be expected to have a fair hearing.
Every person has a right to a fair hearing. It is the basis of our system of justice. A person cannot be prejudged in a court of law. He or she has a right to a fair and impartial trial.
Unfair public coverage of a matter involving an accused can prejudice this right. This is why the media has to act responsibly.
The media in no part of the world has a licence to do as it pleases. It is bound by certain codes and practices. Its duty is to report on matters of the public interest, not to be the state prosecution.
The latest injustice against the teacher is the claim in another section of the media that someone has come out and made allegations against the teacher. It turned out allegations are not contained in any written statement or interview with someone from the mass media. The information was obtained on social media.
It was irresponsible of the media house concerned to run with a story like that without confirming the information directly with the person who is alleged to be making the allegation against the teacher.
Social media is not moderated. There is no editor. It does not hold itself to traditional journalistic standards. Before a post can be taken down, a complaint has to be filed to the platform on which the post was made. In the meantime, the damage has been done.
Lies can be spread also using social media. A few weeks ago, the IAC found itself in hot water after it condemned a post on social media which turned out, according to the IAC’s own admission to be a fake. The IAC had to undertake its own investigation to verify that the information was fake. It has apologized to the person concerned.
The print media should not be using social media evidence unless it has otherwise confirmed the authenticity of the information. The role of the media is not to try anyone in the court of public opinion.
It is easy to create a fake profile on social media. A great many of the bloggers on social media are using fake profiles. The media has been wary of lifting information wholesale off social media.
The media has a duty to be fair. Suppose it turns out that all these allegations against the teacher are not valid. What happens then? The damage would have already been done.
The media has a responsibility, if it is going to use information obtained on social media, to ascertain the authenticity of the information being used. Anyone can today create a fake profile and make accusations. It is the duty of the media to check on those facts.
Social media posts whether authentic or not cannot be used as evidence. The person has to come forward and give a statement.
There then has to be a confrontation between the accused and his accuser. This is how the law works, not by any one feeling free to post anything online and then having a gullible media run with it.
The media cannot continue along this trend of assassinating the characters and reputation of persons without a shred of verifiable evidence. The media has to get its information right. It should be wary when that information comes from the social media.
There are things which can be done on social media which the mass media is not permitted to do. The mass media would face lawsuits if it were to carry some of the sensational stories and comments which appear on social media.
Similarly when it comes to allegations against others, then the mass media cannot simply ‘share’ information that it has received from the social media. That is reckless and irresponsible unless that information is verified.

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