The dangers of misleading content on social networks are serious.
One of the strangest events caused by misleading content on social networks recently occurred in America. These contents, which are so-called viral, spread widely, and there are not many solutions to counter their impact.
Fake videos and texts about various topics promote false data and information. To combat these deceptive contents, publishing informative materials and removing misleading content by the platforms’ moderators can be effective. In this regard, Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter and the removal of many serious oversight processes has dealt a heavy blow to social health. TikTok is also lagging in this area, and Meta is struggling to manage it effectively. In any case, combating false content on social networks is costly and, while necessary, requires specialized human resources and the commitment of platform managers. The story is different if the solutions, ideas, and plans presented are dangerous, destructive, and fraudulent. In this area, collective actions can be controlled in the outside world. For example, the British government seriously confronted the incitement of racist riots on social networks. Western governments have relative control over the cohesive networks of ISIS extremists and terrorists, human trafficking gangs, sexual exploiters, and publishers of unethical content, which still requires work.
However, frauds, deceptions, and traps for individuals are not easily manageable, and it is enough for fraudulent content to trap some audiences to create a serious crisis. In America, a strange idea trapped a significant number of citizens. This idea spread on TikTok, suggesting that one could deposit a check made out to themselves at ATMs, and the machine would dispense cash without scrutiny, thus deceiving the bank. Naturally, banking officials initially couldn’t believe anyone would fall for this claim, but a group did believe it and have now committed a crime and, as they say, didn’t get away with it. The person who wrote a check to themselves has indebted themselves and signed a written document of fraud, handing it over to the bank.
Perhaps Iranian authorities should take these trends in Western countries seriously. In a situation where the fundamental and obvious idea of citizens’ right to free and unfiltered access to the internet and social networks has not yet been realized in Iran, creating an appropriate environment to combat such content will take away an excuse from opponents of Iranians’ human and civil right to free access to the online space.