'Social media is the new form of terrorism': Experts call for societal awakening

Jaipur, June 28 (IANS) A thought-provoking discussion on the ‘Role of Society Against Terrorism’ was held on Saturday at the Constitution Club in Jaipur, under the banner of the Global Dialogue Forum 'Vishwam' on Saturday.

The session saw prominent voices, including Major General Sudhakar, former diplomat Gauri Shankar Gupta, and thinker Ashutosh Pant, expressing grave concerns over radicalisation and the growing threat of digital terrorism.

Major General Sudhakar warned that social media has become a new tool for terrorism, facilitating cognitive warfare, a psychological battle aimed at misleading and manipulating young minds.

He emphasised the urgent need for a national strategy to counter digital brainwashing, cautioning that if extremist narratives are not challenged, they will alter the very fabric of society.

Major General Sudhakar said that “social media is now rapidly becoming a new form of terrorism.”

He said that today, cognitive warfare, i.e. psychological warfare, is being used to mentally mislead the youth. He said that if we do not change the false and extremist narrative, then it will change us. He stressed the need to formulate a national strategy against digital brainwashing.

Former diplomat Gauri Shankar Gupta advocated for a unified education system across India to preserve social cohesion. He stressed that fragmented education models breed division and weaken the collective fight against radical ideologies.

He also backed the swift implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to ensure a common legal framework for all citizens.

Gupta called for uniting the society against terrorism and advocated the implementation of a uniform education system across the country. He said that different types of education systems are fatal to social unity.

Ashutosh Pant highlighted the importance of cultivating an aware, value-driven society, stating that terrorism can only be tackled effectively when citizens are morally and intellectually engaged.

Forum founders Vikrant Singh and Murari Gupta underlined the objective of the event, which is to address pressing societal concerns and shape a concrete action plan.

--IANS

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