Social media was invented with the noble intention of easing the process of sharing information with our friends, colleagues, relatives and family members. But, the world as a whole faces a new set of problems stemming from the proliferation in the misuse of the same social media. The unquestionable connection between rise in crime and abuse of social networking has gained universal acceptance and the trepidation and circumspection with which our friends and acquaintances exchanges opinions about the profane side of Facebook, SMS has established that our attitude on this issue cannot be segregated from our brethren elsewhere.
It has become very common to hear about married man and woman among our social circle making online friends with strangers and carrying an illicit relationship offline, clandestinely in the back of their spouses. The youths also are devoting disproportionate amount of time online with their friends engrossed in private chats. The privacy guaranteed by online correspondence sets up an ambiance for open discussion often culminating in sending or receiving of sexually explicit, or suggestive images or messages. But things are more or less under control if the sharing is mutual. Perverts send friend requests to strangers and proceeds to solicitation of obscene conversation. To them, online friendship is just a means for satisfying their immoral lust. Legal actions must certainly be existing in the law books but we seldom heard about anybody being booked or punished by the law enforcers despite the flagrant occurrence of such cases. However, we find solace in the fact that such depraved behaviors have been exposed in the public by local organizations and civil bodies, who also award the perverts punishment based on the gravity of their crimes.
Though abuse of social networking transverse age differences and gender, as caretakers of the younger generations, society must do something so that the uncontrolled victimization of the innocent youths are stalled. A growing number of adolescents in a relationship are prone to receiving obscene pictures or messages, or being pressurized to send such pictures themselves. Parents and senior members need to educate themselves about the social media to identify the ways their young sons and daughters used it and learn about the common risks. Studies found that risky online behaviors by the youths can be countered if parents talks to them. Such activities also raise awareness about online safety and lessen the chances of forwarding personal information or contentious pictures with friends, partners and strangers and talking or meeting with people they only met online.