THE Guyana Press Association (GPA) has had cause to issue a statement recently, in light of certain developments following the March 2 regional and general elections. According to the media watchdog organisation, “The GPA… calls on the leadership of all political parties, State Authorities and interest groups to openly discourage actions that can have the impact of undermining the work of journalists and their media enterprises. We urge all political leaders to cease and desist from creating conditions for the perpetuation of media harassment, and the dampening of press freedom.”

The statement comes amid complaints from GPA members of threats of violence against them on social media. Reports were also made of attempts to interfere with the work of media operatives following the March 2 regional and general elections, and the ensuing political impasse.

As the GPA has noted in its statement, “There is a stringent process of media accreditation to determine the bona fides of local journalists and other media workers, and we would expect that all due regard be paid, and courtesies extended to these professionals in the execution of their duties.”

In the circumstances, the Guyana Chronicle condemns, in the strongest terms, any threats or acts of violence against media operatives in the rightful execution of their duties. Media operatives and workers operate on the frontlines, so that they are able to bring credible facts and information to the attention of the public. These workers are sometimes find themselves in the line of danger when trying to do their jobs, and as such they should not be threatened, attacked or intimidated by anyone or any group purporting to inhibit their work. Freedom of the press is essential in our democratic society.

In this era of the social media, the reporting of ‘news’ is now also very much in the hands of anyone who has access to a ‘smartphone’ and an Internet connection. Social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp have become the new media houses, with citizens increasingly relying on these platforms to obtain their news and information. What should be of major concern is that Facebook has, time and time again, been implicated in the spread and proliferation of fake news campaigns. So much so that the company has been interviewed by the United States Senate for its role in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, which saw the harvesting of data from up to 87 million profiles on Facebook. Nonetheless, Facebook continues to maintain the social media monopoly, and is the social media platform of choice for most Guyanese.

Facebook and other social media platforms have been the arenas in which several criminal infractions have taken place. The incitement of violence and use of racist and derogatory language are prevalent on Facebook in post-elections Guyana. In many cases, and upon closer inspection, many of the profiles spreading a hateful and violent narrative appear to be fake, created for the sole purpose of creating mischief. Other pages have appeared during the elections campaign, and subsequently after the elections, with the sole purpose of spreading false and fictious ‘official information’ and documents. Pages have also been created to peddle damaging and incendiary propaganda about certain political parties, or the incumbent Government of Guyana. Citizens must be wary of these tactics, and any information obtained on social media should be carefully scrutinised for authenticity.
Whilst social media will continue to be a part of most people’s way of life, one must be wary of the information one consumes and spreads on social media.

Citizens must also be aware of the potential harm and damage the overuse of social media can pose to their health. Studies have shown that spending a mere thirty minutes on social media can contribute to the manifestation of certain mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

Following the events of March 2, Guyana has had a very public fallout, with social media being responsible for the rapid spread of false information and equally false narratives. Concerned citizens would be wise to refrain from excessive use of social media, especially as it pertains to the consumption of news or information about the highly-contentious elections and subsequent political situation. There are many credible sources of information available Online from respected and established media houses. Let us all make more of a concerted effort to stop the spread of fake news, and to uphold the freedom of the press.