Enhancing the use of social media as an early warning system

By Dr. Hassan Humeida

KIEL: Social media should finally play an important role in society. As the name suggests, these are social and can take on important tasks as media – being in the service of a healthy society.

This is another chance and a challenge as well, to give social media more responsible objectives and tasks by ending the monopoly of pastimes and amusers whose misuse has unfortunately caused havoc.

Yet, the change for greater responsibility has to be done meticulously so that there are no conflicts with the usual social media users who will resist losing their quasi dominance over social media.

Social media is primarily about functioning as early warning systems for dangers, especially where acute dangers emerge or become ominous.

Information on social media can do a lot to help people in need around the whole world. The unfiltered flow of information and without any barrier that is fed into these media can be used for good and to help save lives that are threatened. By announcing threats, information can be passed on in time to the responsible authorities.

It remains an internal obligation for social media to report, conscientiously and promptly, announcements made by perpetrators.

This is especially true with announcements that can lead to mental or physical harm and regardless whether crimes such as killing or murdering will take place or not.

In focus, verbal statements and personal attacks, most of which are considered harmless, should also be taken seriously by social media of different types, and reported to the responsible authorities in order to minimize risks or annul them altogether.

Frightening statements without action can trigger long-term serious consequences such as trauma for those affected.

The way to get rid of this is to locate the source of the utterance and take the necessary action in the right ways before something bad or harmful happens.

In consideration of the risk assessment and risk management though information, this point should be logistically, technically and personally feasible for social media, since, despite the protection of the private sphere, everything ultimately depends on the management of information and its flow. All this is to serve the well-being of people worldwide from a social point of view.

When a person threatens another one or when a potential perpetrator announces a despicable act on social media, it should be reported immediately, and without ifs and buts, to the responsible authorities.

Those in charge who are close to the site must leap into action and act responsibly with the suspect before the crime is committed.

Social media can therefore serve as an early warning system for everyone, and potential and existing crises can be satisfactorily resolved.

We should keep in mind that a crazy person can paint a picture – it may or may not be beautiful -, but a crazy person definitely cannot give back lives that are taken.

An excerpt from my children’s book The Home of Noon – Published in 2017.

Freedom of expression (23):

In my second home, there are many media, including radio and television. Most of these media bring news, entertainment and sports programs.

However, they also deal with difficult issues and they show the interests and opinions of citizens.

Some also have the specific aim of supporting weaker people being treated unfairly. Our second home uses a wide variety of media. As in other democratic countries, in addition to the citizen’s voice, there are also visual and acoustic media such as television and radio and printed media, such as newspapers and magazines.

All of these media report on what is happening in their second home and in the world.

E-Mail: hassan_humeida@yahoo.de