Digital Social Networks over conventional publishing platform !!

Social Networks are the buzz word of the day. Every day you learn controversies created by social networks. A Minister had to face wrath for tweeting about the cattle class and governments going down because Social Networks provided platform to people to unite against the tyranny of the state. One prominent spokesperson of a leading political party had to go in hiding after follow up taken by netizens about his deeds ( You can read about this more in my earlier post here )

We have seen rise of Social Networks in India not more than last five years. People started using Facebook, Twitter, Linked in, Slide Share etc. to keep their friends informed about whats happening in their public as well as private life by using these social networks. At certain point in time in the past suddenly Social Networks went viral and now you will find every fifth person using internet on at least one of these social networks. Following are some of the important characteristics of social networks.

Conventional Social Networks	Digital Social Networks
Newspapers, Books, Magazines	Facebook, Twitter, Linked in, Google Plus, Orkut, etc.
They are slow to spread though there is a possibility of virility of the content however its still slow in spread compared to digital social networks	They are viral, the moment you update or publish any content depending upon the importance, and sensitivity of the subject matter it goes viral instantaneously. The content spreads like chain reaction
There is a process of moderation happening through proof reading, validation of the content.	There is no moderation, whatever you write you can publish instantly (That’s where the problem lies)
You need some credentials to publish  your content through this platform	Anyone can publish subject to the person have access to a   computer, a Tablet or a Smartphone connected to the internet.

 I dont want to comment about the very recent controversy got created over Facebook comment by a girl as the core of my perspective may get lost in the debate that would ensue after such an attempt :) What I want to say is 'Digital Social Networks', have immense power to impact people's mind and hence needs to get used with restrain and maturity. ( I guess the girl in question may be just wanted to use the famous dialogue of Nasirruddin from Wednesday somewhere and she quoted that )

If we don't do that we will be just using the flip side of this immense power and make people who want to regulate Social Networks stronger.