The case of objectionable FB posts - time to change

Some miscreants put up objectionable posts on FB and the state erupted with riots and ham handed police response. 

It is time to change the way we think about online life because the lines have blurred making the virtual personae as much a part of real life as real life is of the virtual! 

I put together a compendium of news articles starting from June 01... and the headlines speak for themselves (my comments are in red):

Date
Article
Source
01-06-2014
Protest against objectionable post on social media hits expressway traffic  - how will traffic disruption help catch the culprit? There are many other ways to protest... why the e'way which is miles away from the police station! Times of India
02-06-2014
Tech experts hunt author of FB post which led to violence across state  - Really ! Can they "hunt"  Mumbai Mirror 
03-06-2014
Cyber crime cell takes over probe  - this is the department which should have been given the responsibility on day 1 instead of trying to "hunt"  Times of India
03-06-2014
Maharashtra police to crack whip on those who ‘like’ offensive Facebook posts - so one guy commits an offense and the government wants to show it's muscle just because it can do little else. 
The government just wants to crack whips - did any minister stand up and make a responsible statement about the posts and calm down the emotionally charged citizens?

Times of India
03-06-2014
Origin of offensive posts unclear, cops seek details from Facebook - reality bites! Times of India
04-06-2014
Pune mob violence over 'Bal Thackeray pics' kills 1 - an unfortunate killing by a mob. What was the police doing when the mob was getting their act together? The loose handling allows lumpen elements to come in and take advantage of citizen emotions.  Hindustan Times
05-06-2014
Don’t let Pune techie’s killers & their leaders get away  Mumbai Mirror 
05-06-2014
Pune murder -Six more held Times of India
05-06-2014
Servers abroad used to make offensive Facebook posts, Mumbai cyber crime investigation cell says - everyone knows FB servers are abroad. Whats new! Just some inane statements to keep the news papers printing. 

Times of India
06-06-2014
Maha Govt Under Siege Over Techie Killing - with irresponsible handling of the law and order situation and refusing to make changes in the face of technology pervasiveness this is bound to happen.

Times of India
06-06-2014
Pune techie murder case -  8 more arrests made, 2 minors detained DNA
06-06-2014
Pune techie murder case - Another man was attacked by same gang the night Mohsin was killed - what an undeserved death. Poor man was killed for no fault of his.  Times of India
07-06-2014
ATS probing reason behind Pune violence -Why are we bringing the ATS ? What next SIT and NIA? This is political FUD - just make it sound so big and show how responsibly you are handling the case. Call the army and tell the world I called them... what more can I do!

Times of India
07-06-2014
Offensive FB posts 187 rioting cases filed, 710 held -Great statistics to be proud about. Fundamentalist lumpens go on riot. Government sleeps and makes no statement. No one helps any of the affected and everyone from CyberCell to ATS and technical experts are "hunting" the culprit! Will they find someone?

Times of India
08-06-2014
Court extends HRS leader Desai's police custody till tomorrow Times of India
09-06-2014
After killing Pune executive, mob attacked bakeries and shops - Whats wrong with us? how will this riot find the culprit? Who does all this and why are these guys not locked up for good. Frankly I would like to know if any of the 700 guys who have been arrested know what is FB and what is objectionable!!

Times of India
09-06-2014
Another FB post sparks protests across state Times of India
09-06-2014
Cops blocked 113 of 198 ‘offensive’ social media posts since Jan -Great job - this is the capability we have to increase to the level where problems are nipped in the bud. The police and central authorities must create an ecosystem to discover such anti-national posts before they damage the country's peace.

Mumbai Mirror 
09-06-2014
My son's murder not just a law & order issue -  Mohsin's father  Times of India
09-06-2014
Those behind inflammatory Facebook posts identified  R R Patil -Wow! Great. Mr Patil - now we must throw the biggest book at the culprits and make sure that they get the death penalty. 

Times of India
10-06-2014
2 crore of taxpayer money lost as mobs target buses in state Times of India
10-06-2014
Like, share ‘objectionable posts and face prosecution Mumbai Mirror 
11-06-2014
Facebook posts- Mumbai police say leads did not pan out, trail gone cold - Oh really! What happened to Mr Patil's statement two days earlier that they have been identified! How irresponsible - shows the lack of respect for the dead and the riot affected.

Times of India
13-06-2014
Offensive FB posts may be from Pak - YES ! Blame it on Pak. They are the root cause of every evil in India - from robberies to increase in train fares !

Times of India


This is not how one handles communication and government outreach in times of crisis. 


Rumors (normally) move fast in the normal world, especially malicious and mischievous ones that are meant to create strife. In the internet world they move faster and further so the impact is greater in a shorter period of time. 

The slow reaction of the establishment is the first culprit in this case and the situation was compounded by the lack of responsible communication by the ministers. Our problem is that the government first goes to sleep and hopes that the problem will be wished away.. and then they come out making inane statements. 

Check the table above - blame it on Pak! How convenient to sweep everything under the table and go back to fiddling while Maharashtra burns. 



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