| Negative writing bane of society, say citizens |
Team OT
MUSCAT The Public Prosecution’s recent warning to those who indulge in negative writing on discussion forums, social networking websites and mobile applications has received a positive response from many Omanis.
Citizens feel that there should be some check on negative writing as it can spread rumours and cause chaos in society. That such writing also tarnishes the traditional and cultural values of the Sultanate, is the view of many citizens.
Oman Tribune spoke to a cross-section of Omanis and sought their response to the Public Prosecution handing out a warning this week against such negative writing.
“Information posted on the Internet, be it authentic or not, can spread not only across the country but also all over the world in a short span of time,” said Tariq Hilal, IT expert. “The warning from the Public Prosecution will prevent rumours, and fabricated, non-authenticated and false information from being posted on the information super highway or sent via SMS. This is important for the nation to continue enjoying its peace and prosperity achieved over the past decades.”
“Negative writing is very dangerous for society today because many people believe that it could be true,” said Sami Al Battashi, a student. “Such writing can mar the image of a person or people. People should ignore such writing. I feel the Public Prosecution warning has come at the appropriate time.”
Munthir Al Farsi, a school teacher, said, “It is important to highlight the ethics that have been ignored by social media activists. Before taking up social media activism, people should learn a bit about the media ethics. The Public Prosecution has taken a much awaited stand on the issue. We hope that people will follow ethics when writing something about somebody.”
“One should not be allowed to blame anybody for anything without any concrete proof,” said Abdullah Al Harthi, a marketing executive. “The freedom we enjoy in the social media here should be governed at least by self-assessment, and people who are into this should look into themselves. Nobody, in any part of the world, will tolerate highly irresponsible writing and character assassination.”
Manal Al Kindi, a front-desk professional, said, “The Public Prosecution warning has come at the right time. It will help debate social media ethics in society. A developed and free civic society should be more responsible. This sense of responsibility has to be inculcated in people who know how to use the social media.”
“We should know that freedom does not mean character assassination,” Zuhair Salim, a civil engineer, said. “Such practice cannot be ignored. It must be corrected before it spreads. If someone is blamed for something without any concrete proof, it should be dealt with firmly. Criticism should be well-researched and to the point. This will help them understand their mistakes and correct themselves.”
Azza Suleiman Al Yarubi said, “I think it’s bad behaviour when people use technology for a wrong purpose. I hope the government makes more stringent laws to punish people indulging in unethical writing on social networking sites.”
(Inputs from Oommen John P, Faizul Haque and Maitha Al-Alyani)
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