THE internet and social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook have gained massive public popularity, especially among the youth.

Political issues raised on the social media have taken place rapidly. A local case in point is the emergence of Imran Khan and PTI. Imran Khan’s massive public response and his emerging as a “third option” has proved that social media does have an impact on politics around the globe.

However, if allowed to grow uncontrolled and unmonitored, it can cause anarchy easily used to manipulate a big section of our educated class.

Try throwing any political, religious, ethnic issue on any of these forums on the Net, and you will find a load of “pseudo intellectuals”, bombarding ideas (mostly baseless or based on unseen myths) and eventually fighting amongst each other. In a country like Pakistan which has remained under ethnic, religious and political strife, such a situation can further the impact of these ethno-religious issues which may result in the slow poisoning of our youth.

Issues such as the hegemony of larger provinces, sectarian violence, ethnic conflicts, inter-provincial grievances, Talibanisation, etc., have been absent from the mainstream of our syllabuses; even media always tries to neutralise their impact. Imagine their impact when they go unobstructed to our emotionally-sensitive youth, with much greater intensity and often with misleading facts. Policy makers need to be worried about this slow poisoning or should be ready to face its consequences in the long run.

MUHAMMAD NOWKHAIZ Lahore