DailyBlogr - The death of Osama Bin Laden and Social Media

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So, it looks like the death of Osama Bin Laden has not only created problems for POTUS and the team but even much of a ruckus online and fortunately or unfortunately, social media has a great part in it to play as well.

Why social media ? Well, there has been very less incidents lately that has spared social media out of it, for good or bad. With every major news break out, it looks like there are a set of patterns that emerge. Spam links, fake Osama pics, untold stories, fake emails and what not ? Osama Bin Ladens death is no different.

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Soon after Osamas death, we saw the spam links popup on facebook first. Much similar to the Mine was hilarious. Find out how youll look after 20 years link. This time the message was equally if not more attractive Osama Bin Ladens shocking video leaked.

Accept it. Many fell.

Without knowing, messages were posted on friends profile from victims account, in thousands. The theme was so catchy that even people who generally stay out of scams fell.

Links spread on emails too. The theme was similar. Check out Osama Bin Ladens latest picture. Osama Bin Laden still alive went the titles.

The point is that, everytime theres a news break out, spammers and scammers are quick to make use of the situation, banking on peoples curiosity and ignorance. And social media is a platform where things happen more quick and rapid than anywhere else.(Not an understatement that). But interestingly, many a times, social media is blamed for being not-so-serious about the issue. Is it fair ? Lets find out.

The Twitter problem

The Deccan Chronicle today has a column in which Sidharth Bhatia writes about how Shoaib Athar could have damaged the whole U.S Operation to kill Osama Bin Laden with his tweets. The article questions about the effects it could have done, if Shoaib had tweeted identifying the U.S army militants. Luckily he didnt and that might have saved a huge problem.

I disagree that this is a social media problem. Had an NDTV correspondent been there and managed to get an exclusive snap of the helicopters, he wouldve done something even more dangerous, flashing it live on TV.

It is significantly important to know that there was an avid tweeter in Abbottabad, and not a newspaper or TV correspondent. Now, the social media fanatics (you hate that term, dont you?) might consider this a win over traditional media. But I think this is an example to learn from more than anything.

Shoaib Athar might be an overnight star. But hes an example of how social medias reach and power today. Try denying it, traditional media folks !

Join Mani Karthik on FacebookThe death of Osama Bin Laden and Social Media was posted at DailyBloggr.com by Mani Karthik.

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