Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI), Mr Robert Ubindam, Head of Operations and Intelligence at the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Paga Border has noted that some social media contents instigate conflicts and should be censured.
He said “There must be a deliberate government policy to censure what people put out on social media.”
He indicated that regulating social media posts could be complex, and needed approaches that would allow freedom of speech to regulate contents.
DSI Mr Ubindam was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on contents of social and political divergence as well as cyber bullying, noted that some content created fragile situations that could lead to conflict.
He attributed people’s violent reactions to blind solidarity, stating that people attached emotions to issues of violence.
He said, “There is something called blind solidarity, where people react to emerging issues without finding out what might have brought the disagreement just because it affects a friend or relative.”
He reiterated that lack of information and a show of solidarity led people into violence and urged social media users to cross-check posts for authenticity.
DSI Mr Ubindam expressed worry over the reduced rate of tolerance among citizens and called for sensitisation on the essence of resolving differences amicably in order not to compromise the peace of society.
He entreated the traditional media to desist from sensationalism in reporting conflict related issues, saying “Issues of violence touch the emotions of the people.”
The various social media platforms, overtime, have played major roles in education, advocacy, and information in the country, among other positive impacts.
These platforms, are however, referenced as grounds for unconcealed contents and remarks that instigate tension among people.