The use of the social media and
modern media technologies
can only be beneficial to hu-
manity if properly and effectively
used to promote love ant the truth; as
well as facilitate a communal human
community. However, at the rate they
are been used, these agents of virtual
community promote falsehood and
untruth to the detriment of the com-
mon good of humanity
Above was the contention of Rev, Fr.
Gerard Musa of( CESACC), Catholic
Institute of West Africa, Port Har-
court, Rivers State; while comment-
ing on the World Communications
Day message of the Holy Father, Pope
Francis. The theme of the Pope’s mes-
sage was: We Are Members, One of
Another (Eph.4: 25). The CESACC
lecturer was the Guest Lecturer at this
year’s World Communications Day
lecture, organized by the Directorate
of Communication, Catholic Diocese
of Enugu at Holy Ghost Cathedral,
Enugu.
In his lecture titled: Truth As Collec-
tive Responsibility in Social Media, Fr.
Musa, expounding on the Pope’s mes-
sage, used several passages of the Bible
and other documents of the Church
and noted that “the message empha-
sizes collective responsibility for truth
in the online network. He remarked:
“ First, the message invites all to put
away falsehood and speak the truth,
second, to guard the truth in order to
maintain mutual relationship of com-
munion.” He added: “What is more,
the message states that truth is found
in communion.”
The lecturer used many academic
references to outline the potentials of
the digital world and new media tech-
nologies and their potency of spread-
ing falsehood as a result of lack of cen-
tral control; and other challenges that
do not promote communal network
which is more beneficial to the society.
He remarked: “It is a common sight
to see how digital media have been
abused in so many ways. Many times,
video images of people have been
manipulated to discredit or vilify
them. There are cases where videos
are doctored to fit into false narrative
and propaganda. Video editing on
digital media makes it possible to su-
perimpose another person’s head on
a different body, Cases abound where
politicians, business people and ide-
ological opponents willingly and un-
ethically manipulate images, texts and
videos to gain advantage over their
rivals.”
Noting that the virtual communi-
ty consolidates the real community
of people, Fr. Musa stressed that the
world communications day message
of the Pope “shows that networking
sites also interconnect human beings
and we have to use Internet networks
responsibly and truthfully.”
Speaking on the role of journalists
and media practitioners in the per-
spective of the Pope’s message, the
CIWA lecturer declared: “Profession-
al media practitioners and journal-
ists have greater responsibility in the
digital world. In the current infor-
mation superhighway, people look
up to mainstream professional media
for clarification, truth, accuracy and
objectivity.” He concluded: “If profes-
sional media institutions are taken se-
riously, it is mainly because they verify
their news and operate with accept-
able ethical standards.”
