“Liberty survives on the vigilance of her citizens, on the cacophony of the media and in the dusty corridors of the courts alive to the rule of (and not by) law.”These are the words of Justice D.Y. Chandrachud of the Supreme Court of India in the judgement in the case of ‘Arnab Manoranjan Goswami vs The State of Maharashtra’ wherein the personal liberty and freedom of expression of the citizen were protected.
The ‘Media’ includes both the press and social media platforms, both of them are a channel for a citizen to exercise his/her freedom of expression and question the administration and governments for various issues. In a democracy like India, every person has the right to express his/her viewpoints on certain or every issue, one may appreciate or criticise policies, laws and amendments in a civil and dignified manner.
The ‘media’ is referred to as the ‘fourth pillar of democracy’ along with the legislature, executive and judiciary. The four pillars are expected to work and coordinate in a truthful manner for the people of a democracy. Mary Ward rightly said, “Love and speak the truth at all times.” This is what applies to the media that is empowered by the citizens and hence has the responsibility of enlightening them and expressing both the boons and banes of governmental policies.
The media is not expected to be neutral in all cases, but it has to present the right facts. Be it the print, digital format or on TV, news organisations shape viewpoints of the consumers, so they must make sure that they present the right facts and let the viewer or reader decide his/her stand. An independent media is the need of the hour and must not be subdued by governments. The media that caters to both sides of the coin on issues is a part of the beauty of a democracy, the disagreements and agreements on ideologies remains prevalent, it is necessary for the functioning of an independent state.
With reference to recent times, it has been seen that the public support for journalists and news organisations has increased due to the trust that citizens have in the media that fearlessly reports the truth. The greatest shield that protects and fights for the rights of the media is the people, who take a strong stand against persecution of the press.
The media also includes ‘social media’. According to IDSA (www.idsa.in) statistics, the users of WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter in India are 340 million, 120 million and 17 million respectively. The new IT rules framed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, emphasize on the judicious use of social media platforms to prevent fake narratives, cyber crimes and toxic trends and hashtags on apps like Twitter and Facebook. It implies the implementation of a Code of Ethics as suggested by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for social media apps and OTT platforms.
The new IT rules have been challenged in the courts by Twitter, Livelaw, The Quint, The Wire and many others, the debate regarding the new rules prevails. But, the recent trends in the use of social media platforms show some negative patterns. In the recent days, people have started casting aspersions on the integrity of institutions like the Supreme Court based upon certain judgements, making disgraceful personal comments on judges and the judiciary as a whole.
Fake news spreads like wildfire, some of them are potential threats to the harmony of the country. Use of misleading hashtags, body shaming people and abusing them, targeting and harassing teen users for their opinions has become a common phenomena, along with cyber bullying and defamation. These issues require strict implementation of laws to prevent misuse of social media.
All media houses have their mottos. Be it ‘Journalism of Courage’ of The Indian Express, ‘Action Begins Here’ of Times Now, or ‘You are the Republic. We are just your Voice’ of Republic TV, represent the the power of a citizen and the essence of a vibrant democracy. Hence, the independent media is an asset that must be empowered and protected, it should not be controlled or threatened by the whims and fancies of governments and politicians. Intimidation of journalists, filing false cases against them and indulging in malicious prosecution is a matter of concern, but the courts of the country have always stepped in and reprimanded such acts by governments and politicians thereby performing their duties and ensuring the prevalence of justice.
As responsible citizens of the country we have our fundamental rights in terms of freedom of expression but these rights should be used in a manner so that they do not become a roadblock for the fundamental rights of others. Instigating people for violence and protests, blocking roads and destroying public property might harm the the rights of fellow citizens.
Finally, we must make sure that we strive to protect the sovereignty of the country and encourage the courageous media and question the administration if they intimidate it. We must use our freedom of expression for putting forth our views in a logical and graceful manner and respect the principles of a democracy. It is the Constitution that empowers us, since the power is endowed upon us, we must use it in a sincere and judicious manner.
The picture used has been taken from republicworld.com/arnab
