CIJ Chairman N. Ravi Speaks on Social Media Dangers at 2026 Commencement

N. Ravi, Chairman of the Chennai Institute of Journalism (CIJ) and Director of Kasturi and Sons Limited, delivered the commencement lecture for the 2026 batch at the institute in Chennai on Monday. Speaking to incoming students, he warned of the dangers of social media manipulation and stressed the importance of first-hand news gathering in an era dominated by online platforms.

During his address, Mr. Ravi explained that social media's vast reach carries the risk of dividing society into isolated echo chambers where people only encounter opinions agreeing with their own. He warned that built-up resentment within such groups could break out into violence, citing the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters who believed Donald Trump had won the presidential election as a primary example.

Mr. Ravi also cautioned that personal posts written freely on social media could later be used against individuals in different contexts. He noted that tweets regarding politicians or countries have been used in cancel culture to deny individuals positions at universities. He added that United States immigration authorities sometimes inspect students' Facebook, Instagram, or X accounts to check for posts considered inimical to the U.S.

Addressing the flood of online news coming every minute from platforms like WhatsApp, X, YouTube, and email alerts, Mr. Ravi pointed out that the sheer volume makes verification difficult. He cautioned against false political reports leading to voter manipulation, as well as harmful health disinformation like false reports about COVID-19 vaccination and mask efficacy. He also highlighted risks involving hate speech and incitement to community conflict.

On the responsibilities of journalists, Mr. Ravi acknowledged that breaking news often appears first on platforms like X, Truth Social, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. However, he advised students to choose their preferred information sources carefully for authenticity and reminded them that second-hand accounts should only act as alerts. He emphasized that a journalist's primary task remains keeping their feet on the ground to gather news first-hand.

CIJ Director-General A.S. Panneerselvan also spoke during the commencement ceremony.