The double-edged sword: how Facebook fuels both unity and discord

The power of social media is clearer now than ever. Since the July Revolution, its influence has only grown, particularly as Facebook became essential for coordinating shelter, protection, and medical aid in crisis-hit regions in Bangladesh. It enabled a nation to surmount challenges that once seemed insurmountable. Yet, like a double-edged sword, social media has also become a breeding ground for discord, deceit, and animosity. In cyberspace, our society’s empathy crisis now unfolds on a massive scale.
Each day, I wake and reach for my phone, reflexively scrolling through Facebook. More often than not, I encounter a grisly headline – “Family of five perish as fire burns down Hindu household” – only to find reactions dominated by ridicule. Comments laced with “Alhamdulillah” accompany the tragedy, a chilling reminder of how grave news has become fodder for divisive and dehumanising discourse. The issue cuts across religion, with reactions to news about political figures, violence against women, and the expulsion of indigenous minorities often laden with prejudice.
Facebook’s ‘react’ feature exacerbates the trivialisation of these serious matters. Not unlike a sitcom laugh track, reactions cue us on how to feel, and spiteful users exploit this to sow discord. As reaction norms take hold, others join in, driven by a desire to conform to the prevailing tone.
Innocuous memes, too, have assumed an outsized role in shaping public opinion. When a person with significant reach projects their biases through a meme, it can quickly gain credibility, attracting reactions that lend it a veneer of truth. Such memes prompt followers to adopt opinions they didn’t form themselves, as though we’re living in a perpetual cycle of inception. We crave statistical significance, yet often fail to recognise the bias embedded in online “facts.”
A second grave issue is Facebook’s unchecked dissemination of information, whether accurate or not. No longer confined to the elderly, this susceptibility has spread across demographics. Following the 5th of August, Facebook was flooded with exaggerated claims, including false allegations of attacks on religious minorities and bizarre rumours of bodies found near Parliament. Misinformation flourished when, during a Facebook Live session, someone hinted at a foreign threat, stirring widespread public anxiety.
In the wake of the revolution, people rushed to deify unfamiliar figures, embracing a mix of dubious heroes and self-proclaimed prophets. The platform is filled with cherry-picked headlines and unverified claims, often shared by those who would rather simplify complex histories than investigate. Such posts, despite their superficial verisimilitude, are devoid of factual integrity, yet they gain traction for their convenience.
It’s time to abandon the passive approach that lets every piece of online information masquerade as truth. We must resist the temptation to adopt views based on popular comments and reactions alone. Ask yourself: did I form this opinion independently, or was it handed to me, already shaped, by the whims of social media?
Facebook, like every transformative technology, has deep pitfalls. To navigate its depths safely, we need a discerning approach. We must avoid knee-jerk responses to flashy headlines and provocative statuses, refusing to let reactionary comments sway our judgment. Instead, let’s turn to diverse, reliable sources – literature, newspapers, academic journals, and documentaries – that offer a broader spectrum of truth. It is only by evaluating a range of perspectives that we can, ultimately, arrive at an informed understanding of the world around us.
The opinions/views expressed in this article are of the author’s own and does not necessarily reflect the editorial stances of the newspaper.