Information War: Mainstream Media and Social Media

MULTIPLE and the large number of social media platforms are evolving in cyberspace, has changed the order of mass communication. Previously, the mainstream mass media is known as a powerful means of mass communication. However, now the role of the mass media began to be eroded by social media.

Previously, to obtain information, ordinary people seek it in the mainstream media, such as newspapers, television, or radio. However, today's digital era, by accessing the internet on your smartphone, then comes all the news you want. When readers are getting bored reading the news media tend to be the same between one media to another, readers choose the social media. Therefore, social media offers new perspective. The reason, in the mainstream mass media, the information posted there was a possibility has entered "interference" editorial.

So the news can be an order of the owners of capital or the company's founder of the press. However, with the proliferation of social media, ordinary citizens (citizen) can be journalists who reported what he heard, seen, or felt. Everyone Citizen journalism can be journalist. That is, anyone can be a journalist resident (citizen reporters). This is a phrase that aptly describes the role of social media as a container aspirations of citizens. The presence of social media to make information circulate so fast.

For netizens are people who are in direct contact with the public. So that the public vote can be directly captured by the users of social media. For instance, information about public policy services not often found in the maximal Facebook or Twitter account. Those who experience discrimination in services, then menshare guts uneknya in social media. Suddenly, steam became viral on social media.

However, be noted that not all the news that develops in social media, is true. Should be wary of, any particular motive to damage the image of the government, groups, or individuals. Social media allows everyone to write what is dibenaknya. In this case, the depth of information is probably negligible. Principles of Journalistic Code of Ethics (KEJ) are also prone to be broken. False news (hoaxes) are very easily spread in this medium.

Therefore, the need for the application of the code of ethics of social media. Not all worthy information published on social media. Consideration of religious norms, obscenity, and security side became signposts for netizens. We should think carefully, whether the information is appropriate or not for distribution. Was it the potential to cause conflicts in society or not? Whether the information is a state secret prone misused by foreigners? This question should be answered before clicking the publish said. As social media users are wise, we were required to be aware of the information. Do not easy to copy and paste information that we read.

Think about whether the report is reasonable or not. Then, clarification (tabayyun) to the person concerned to check the truth. If already spread false news about the other party, then how much sin will be covered. Besides the embarrassment, the party will dijelek smear his good name tarnished. Equally important, do not easily provoked or take action in a hurry as soon as we get the information. (Observer Medsos / Ilmaddin Husain)