Social media keeps news media in check, says Indian spiritual leader
Social media empowers people and improves the quality of journalism, says spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Social media is an empowering tool of free speech that keeps the media in check, says one of India’s most powerful spiritual leaders Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, ahead of an online forum he will lead on Twitter on Sunday.
I think social media has empowered people who were otherwise heavily dependent on the visual and print media
“I think social media has empowered people who were otherwise heavily dependent on the visual and print media. Real freedom of expression and speech have dawned only through the social media”, said Shankar in an email interview with the South China Morning Post.
Shankar described the modern day as “a time of despair and depression” and appealed to people to broaden their outlook.
Teacher and founder of non-profit humanitarian organisations The Art of Living Foundation and the International Association for Human Values, Shankar travels the world conducting speaking tours and fundraising for his organisations.
Social media is becoming more important as a news source, which is improving the quality of journalism, said Shankar. “The news media can no longer totally distort any news with Twitter and Facebook so active”, he said.
He championed a new age of citizen journalism using social media, “It has given the chance for everyone to be a journalist and air his or her opinions”, he said.