The present day
ICT has offered enormous advantages to the daily activities and interactions
that characterise human existence. Technology has essentially collapsed the bridge
and true meaning of distance in human relations. The emergence, constant
upgrade and daily invention of new platforms in the social media have
facilitated the exchange of ideas, products and services within a twinkle of an
eye, to and fro any part of the world. The several means of exchanging
information via the social media include telephone calls, electronic mails,
instant text messages/chats, and video calls. Through these means the exchange
of all sort of information such as voice calls, texts, pictures, videos,
documents and life coverage are all common practices. Presently, one can hardly
keep count of the numerous social media platforms through which information are
shared with ease – WhatsApp, BBM, 2go, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin, Skype, Instagram, etc.
It is quite
disheartening, however, that so many people have failed to realise or perhaps have
remained ignorant that any information shared via most of the above media are
open the entire globe and even to the spirit world. So many people are still
guilty of several unpardonable blunders while publishing information online.
Since the whole world has no unified language, effective communication must be
a key while sharing information. One must be aware of the possible
interpretations of any information he/she intends to publish and so try as much
as possible to achieve just the intended. Ignorance
and indeed unnecessary carelessness have caused many to publish information different
from what they had in mind.
The need to be
very careful while sharing information online cannot be over emphasised. As
little as the absence of a punctuation mark, omission of just a word, and error
in spelling, or even the common gross grammatical blunder, might constitute great
negative impacts than could ever be imagined. On many instances, the whole
sentence may lose its intended meaning, making it subject to several
misinterpretations. Thus one must pay special attention to the choice of words
and composition as well as avoiding unnecessary omissions. The issue of obvious
grammatical errors is beyond imagination.
Although mare omissions and actual mistakes may be
pardonable by some few readers, the aspect of rudeness and arrogance in airing
your opinion to the greater audience remains a big slap in the face to all. As humans, you may be easily annoyed by other person’s post or
comment online, but it will be very catastrophic to your integrity if you fail
to be consciously selective in the choice of words while expressing your anger
to the entire internet community. Even if
you have been insulted by other person(s), engaging in retaliatory actions in
similar manner could be a self inflicted sickness to your dignity. You should recall that the Scripture admonishes in Luke
6:28 and Matthew 5:44 that you should bless those who curse you. By so doing,
you are strengthening and re-energising your own blessings.
Therefore, on no
account should you be rude to anyone online. Even if your post is targeted to a
subordinate. Remember that your audience is never limited. Any post online is
directed to all, not to any particular person(s); and the number of comments to
a post may not be proportional the readers attracted. Many will read and
appreciate, extract what is important for them, make necessary criticisms but
will save time and data by ignoring the comment box. And remember that rude
statements enthrone greater curiosity, even to the non targeted audience. Also, your post could be shared by others, even on different platforms.
Ok! Let me talk
a bit on the posting of pictures and videos online. Some persons post pictures and videos that speak ill about their personality.
If you are doing so just for fun, please be aware of the multiple
interpretations. Why should someone, male and female inclusive, display very
provocative pictures online? Of what benefit will you publish pictures of where
you are smoking or drinking to stupor? What message do you intend to convey by
posting where you are performing rituals in front of deity? Do you intend to be
applauded when you teach evils online by way of your posts? All these and many
more are the questions you need to answer before engaging in such a demonic
act.
It is true that
evils have taken different dimensions, but you must be very careful in every of
our actions by considering both the moral and legal consequences. Today we can
see advertisements online for Sugar Mummy/Daddy, homosexual and lesbian
partners, etc. Not only that the reward for these acts is eternal damnation,
they are also punishable under the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The evil of
examination malpractice has gained such a universal acceptance to the extent
that people now publicly advertise for it online. There are even websites and
social media groups and pages that are essentially for the services of
examination malpractices. In fact, some people now consider it a fun to paste
questions/answers of external examinations such as NECO, WAEC, GCE, UTME, etc.
These are sometimes made available several hours or even days before the
commencement of the particular examination. I hope to talk about the gravity of
the sin of examination malpractices some other time. But quickly, I want you to
realise that it is punishable by the law and by God in heel fire! Very
importantly, posting them online do not in any way speak good of your personality,
but instead might register your name in the security watch list.
The sanctity of
your posts online cannot be complete if you fail to regulate and curtail your
curiosity to some referral links. It is not every link that you must be quick
to click. There is a need to at least imagine the possible terms and conditions
before rushing to click. Some links will, on your behalf, automatically be
posting rubbish on your timeline just after the first uncoordinated visit.
Examples of such links include daily periscope, daily mood, etc. Certainly,
they force those posts on people’s timeline for better advertisement. They will
equally be sending you unsolicited mails on regular basis.
I cannot forget
my terrible experience with Daily Periscope, which I know many equally suffered
and some still suffering. They kept on posting rubbish on my Facebook timeline,
which I struggled hard to stop. The peak of the annoyance came when they sent
me a mail one day with the subject: “Nsukka Diocese Gets a New Bishop”. I was
highly attracted to this subject because it came just the after the
installation of the current Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. Prof.
Godfrey Igwebuike Onah. And so when I opened the mail, it was rather a great
surprise to be greeted with a different demonic broadcast. The message I intend
to preach is that we should not be too inquisitive to click on every link that
is advertised on the social media without first reasoning the possible terms
and conditions.
In conclusion, I
wish to remind you that the sanctity of the information you share online is a
critical issue that must be accorded priority. Try and be as impeccable as
possible in your communication in order to avoid misinterpretation and
misinformation. Avoid rude statement even when reacting to an insult or when
the target audience are your subordinates. Finally, ensure you do not seem to
teach or portray evils online, even as you regulate you curiousness over social
media advertisement.
Thank you!
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