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PDF THINK TANK: ANALYST
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2009
- Messages
- 6,551
- Reaction score
- 14
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Rumours are far more dangerous in developing countries (e.g. China/Pakistan/India), due to the lower level of education and literacy, and the much lower police enforcement to population ratio.
It's all very well and nice for the West to lecture developing countries on this, since they were already developed many decades ago. Long before internet/sms rumours were a problem.
It is easy for an incompetent government to blame its own failure on the internet. There is only one way to fight disinformation you confront it with facts not censorship. Why do you think CENTCOM is a PDF member?
Government agencies actively monitoring social media in all countries including India. If disinformation has the potential to create panic or anger the government should use any means necessary (radio/TV/Internet/SMS) to keep everyone informed and calm.
The Indian government was asleep at the wheel and copped out by blaming the internet.