Abuse of social media threat to democracy: Shashi Tharoor

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Bangla Tribune Report
Published : 21:57, Nov 29, 2019 | Updated : 19:45, Nov 30, 2019

Veteran Indian politician, and award-winning author Shashi Tharoor during an interview with Bangla Tribune in Dhaka. A former Indian foreign minister, Tharoor visited Bangladesh on Nov 8-9, 2019 to attend Dhaka Lit Fest. PHOTO/Sazzad HossainVeteran Indian politician, international diplomat, and an award-winning author, Shashi Tharoor has emerged as a social media phenomenon. But he, too, thinks the abuse of the social media platforms is a big danger to the democratic process of a country.
"In social media, there is no filter, there is no editor. You think of something right now, and it can be on social media in five minutes which can be a complete lie and that is a big danger of our democracy when it becomes difficult for the people to tell the truth from the falsehood," Tharoor told during an exclusive interview with Bangla Tribune.
Currently, a third-term Lok Sabha MP representing from Thiruvananthapuram, capital of the Indian state of Kerala, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Tharoor visited Bangladesh on Nov 8-9 to attend Dhaka Lit Fest.
Tharoor said social media influences the politics despite its odds, and politicians or policymaker, none can afford to ignore when an issue starts trending on social media.
India and Bangladesh are in a similar position where the increasing use of high-speed communication tools and the reducing cost of smartphones have made the internet more accessible and it would change the adoption of social media dramatically, he argued.
"Today, by the next Indian election of 2024, I have no doubt it'll be the principal instrument to be used because everybody is on it," said Tharoor, who is regarded as one of the most-followed politicians in India.
Watch the full interview here;

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