‘NEVER shoot the messenger’; the basic rule of communication was laid eons ago with an honest belief that the society runs on common sense and civility. It remained the unwritten rule for, in the courts of kings and emperors, in statecraft and gamesmanship. The rule is still sacrosanct in business, trade and international relations. But it has been shredded to pieces by a growing section in the civil society which seems drunk on perverse hatred while using social media. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and India’s daring ‘Operation Sindoor’ to dismantle terror hubs inside Pakistan, this section of digital demons was at the forefront in announcing the death of good manners in civil society. The chilling levels of cyber abuse people faced for a slight contrarian view calling for peace were frightening as they crossed several red lines.

 

The sum of this vitriolic behaviour was found in the dirty trolling of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri for merely announcing cessation of military operations after a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. The troll army, with its moronic view of the situation and driven by armchair-induced imbecility, attacked Misri’s personal X account with choicest abuses. They did not even spare his daughter by making her cell number public following which the Foreign Secretary had to lock his social media account. It was a distressing display of a toxic culture which has become a part of social media platforms for quite some time. Misri was only doing his job of announcing a decision taken by the political leadership in New Delhi. He was addressing the media since ‘Operation Sindoor’ began on May 7.

 

Flanked by Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri had become part of a picture that was hailed as the true spirit of India. Within days, he was the target of a section that merrily wallows in its severe intellectual disability. Misri was not alone in this trauma. Many X users including journalists, artists, activists and even the kin of Pahalgam victims were subjected to nonsensical tirade for their take on the situation. The heavy trolling of Himanshi Narwal, wife of Lt Vinay Narwal who was killed by terrorists in Baisaran, for her appeal for peace was a reflection of the pathetic mindset social media platforms are fostering. For the sake of fleeting visibility and a few likes, people are jumping on to any topic without realising the consequences. There is a clear FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) that is driving digital users to indulge in making comments shorn of basic courtesy or respect. It is a clear and present danger, much worse than the actual war on ground and air.

 

The ceasefire, though very fragile, has averted a full-scale war between the neighbours. Despite the itching of many staying far away from the danger zones and border towns to continue with the offensive, a calibrated and measured response has been delivered with a stern message by India. Peace will prevail gradually on both sides of the border but the troll army within the country is still living in its own dreams. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has the task cut out not only to rein in the troll armies but also to crack down on misinformation campaigns unleashed by Pakistan’s proxies. The digital platforms are regularly being used for hate speech, abusive comments and distortion of facts by elements inimical to India’s global position, cashing in on the phenomenal rise of social media in the country and miniscule Internet literacy.

 

A large section is totally vulnerable to fall to the propaganda as the public sphere has become more participatory. However, the reach of technology has failed to ensure civil behaviour. People are being targeted by trolls on gender, religion, community, ideologies and even political affiliations. The reactions to simple social posts are scary, ranging from death threats to rape and much more. Celebrities are easy targets while saner elements are bombarded with invective leading to mental harassment. The current situation must be seen as an alarm and tech companies must be engaged for better surveillance. It is not a problem to locate online trolls for tech companies provided they adhere to the law of the land and help the machinery in flagging objectionable content. It is time for a stern anti-troll law to stop harassment of people expressing their own civilised opinion in a vibrant democracy. The FOMO disease needs to be hit right at its roots.

 

The country also needs a solution for another FOMO ailment prevailing in the news industry on electronic and digital platforms. During the entire duration of ‘Operation Sindoor’ full-fledged unverified content was peddled as breaking news by many such platforms, almost obliterating the line between news and fake news. War reporting on social media, YouTube channels and some portals saw a flood of claims on destruction in both countries. Doctored footage, unrelated images, and quoting non-existent sources was the order of the day as many channels had a field day in spreading utter misinformation. Some of the claims were downright ridiculous and far-fetched, raising questions over credibility of such platforms having a free run on the digital space. From the Mumbai terror attack of 2008 to ‘Operation Sindoor’ in 2025, not many lessons seem to have been learned by the pursuers of ‘breaking news’. The race to earn some TRP ratings looks too tempting for new-age media platforms. It is only playing into the hands of Pakistan which uses false narratives and hybrid warfare to influence international political perspective on India’s internal matters. In this war of wicked intentions, India must stand well informed and united.