Why can TikTok (not) be shut down?

2024-11-21 10:54:18Pikëpamje SHKRUAR NGA LUTFI DERVISHI
Why can TikTok (not) be shut down?
Lutfi Dervishi

When the car crushed the first man, the chorus of those who wanted to stop the car from circulation was not small.

How can a person die from a car?!! Scandal? What is this monster that kills people. We were comfortable with the horses.

The cars were not banned, but a lot was invested in infrastructure, in signaling, in regulations, in security measures.

Cars continue to take lives today, but no one thinks to take the car off the road.

The debate opened today by the prime minister to close tik tok and snap chat because they encourage bullying, hate speech is only valid if lessons are learned from the experience and we do not go to a solution alla Adhamdh.

Today technology is not just a tool; it is an integral part of our life. We cannot divorce ourselves from digital life. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms are not the source of the problem – they are tools, like cars, that we used yesterday and still use today. The problem is not with TikTok and other platforms, but with how we use them and how we manage their effects on society.

If we close Tiktok and snapchat, are we sure that there is no bullying, hate speech, illegal actions on other platforms?!

Instead of shutting down these platforms, we should invest in social "infrastructure".

In the anarchy of the digital world we are living in, the solution should be found in education and not prohibition.

A well-informed user wins and does not lose from social networks.

Instead of shying away from technology, we need to educate children and young people on how to use it to their advantage.
School curricula should have subjects on the ethics of social media use and knowledge on privacy, digital bullying and the emotional impact that tomorrow may come not only from human users, but also from bots and Artificial Intelligence.

Just as road signs regulated traffic, laws must regulate the use of technology.

Limits could be placed on algorithms that promote harmful content or stronger mechanisms for reporting bullying and hate speech could be established.

More can be invested to fight cybercrime to stick in the mind of "bravery" and "anonymity" that in the network "it is not as invisible and elusive as you think"

Just as children are not allowed to drive without a license, their access to technology can and should be supervised. Parents and teachers have a role to play in teaching self-control and the valuable and ethical use of technology.

Just as cars have evolved with seat belts, airbags and sensors that avoid accidents, digital platforms can also develop technologies that minimize risks.

Algorithms should be programmed to favor positive content, while users should have the right information on how to get out of a toxic online environment.

Instead of demonizing and shutting down a platform, let's open the debate on the effects that technology has and the best ways to use it. Close the virtual space or talk about a healthy digital environment?

Closing is not a solution!

Just like we didn't stop cars, we can't stop the flow of technology. All the more so that with Artificial Intelligence we are not facing a flow, but a big wave.

Any attempt to close down digital platforms is a fight against the winds of time. If we look for the solution at the end, we have ignored the roots of the problem.

Ultimately, platforms like TikTok are not "monsters" that need to be eliminated, but "new machines" that require regulation, education and responsibility.

Instead of waging war on technology, let's invest in learning how to coexist with it.

If we must declare war, before we disarm our hands, we must disarm our mind, heart, and tongue.

Can we do this?


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