Page 176 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

Authenticity, Linguistic
Unit Errors, Laws and Misuse

3
in Social Media

Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of this unit, the learners will be able to:

f explain the unique characteristics of new media, such as interactivity, con-
vergence, accessibility, and audience power.
f identify the possibility of linguistic errors in communication through new
media and explain how miscommunication can occur.
f understand the concept of Cyber Law and its purpose, which is to provide
legal protection to individuals and organisations using the internet.
f delineate the role of cyber laws in the IT sector.

Prerequisites

Priya’s heart raced as she stared at her phone screen. The post she had shared an hour
ago had gone viral, with thousands of likes and shares. She felt a rush of excitement
but also a twinge of unease. The post claimed a popular celebrity had been arrested for
tax fraud. Priya had seen it on a friend’s timeline and shared it without thinking twice.
Now, comments were pouring in, some praising her for “exposing the truth,” others
demanding proof. As Priya scrolled through the responses, she noticed a comment from
a verified news account: “This information is false. The celebrity in question has not
been arrested.” Panic set in. Priya had unintentionally spread fake news to thousands
of people.

This scenario highlights the complex landscape of social media communication in
today’s digital age. It touches on several critical issues that users face daily: the rapid
spread of information, the challenge of distinguishing fact from fiction, and the poten-
tial consequences of sharing unverified content.

170 SGOU - FYUGP - SLM - English for Communication