Mixed views on Young’s social media threat warning

CONGRESS of the People (COP) political leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan yesterday disagreed with National Security Minister Stuart Young that social media are the biggest threat to democracy in TT. But she acknowledged social media have challenges which need to be addressed.

At the opening of a regional cyber security workshop at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain on Monday, Young said, “Even in a paper-based electoral system, like the one that exists in TT, these cyber threats to the democratic process are a reality, as they can target voters, political parties, candidates and the elections. If there is one switch in the world that I wish I could turn off, it would be the social media switch. It has warped everything.”

He added, “Of course there are also great effects of social media and we can use it for a lot of positive. But in my view, this is the single largest threat we now have to democracy.” Seepersad-Bachan said social media can deepen “citizens’ participation” in the country’s governance. “We must see it as a furthering of democracy.”

But Seepersad-Bachan agreed social media can be used to spread mischief and she was a victim of that recently. “You do have to deal with the malice that takes place.”

She cited the anonymous side of Facebook, where trolls are used to attack people, saying some of the money which political parties use in campaign financing “may be going towards funding trolls.”Seepersad-Bachan also pointed out that the courts have shown that people who defame others on social media are not above the law.

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal claimed social media were the biggest threat to the Prime Minister, Young and the PNM. “This is the continuation of a pattern of attacks on citizens and their right to free expression and legal redress,” he said. Moonilal claimed, “The rule of law has been replaced by the rule of Rowley.” MSJ political leader David Abdulah said there are bigger threats to democracy in TT than social media. But he said, “There are people who can and are abusing social media. That is a fact.” These people, Abdulah continued, range from US President Donald Trump “to political trolls in TT who are attacking people.”

He cited a recent decision by the European Court of Justice, that Facebook must remove information which defames people and block access to that information worldwide, as an example that this problem is being addressed.

MATT president Sheila Rampersad wished Young would release his “entire presentation” so one could understand the basis for him regarding social as the biggest threat to democracy. Fixin TT head Kirk Waithe said, “We do not see, even with the most sinister of intentions, social media being a threat to any functional democracy.”

Waithe believed that corruption, weak institutions and a lack of checks and balances on leadership “are where our collective focus should be with respect to guarding our democracy.”