INTRODUCTION

MEDIA is considered as fourth pillar of the world especially for biggest democracy like India.
Media plays a vital role in dissemination of information. The term media refers to both
traditional mass media ( television , newspaper ,radio) and social media like (facebook, twitter,
instagram and whatsapp and e news apps) these are the fastest means of communication. Where
the individuals remains all the time connected and impacts a thinking and behaviour. Media is
powerful tool used for communication and socialization. Consuming news by social media is like
a two edges of sword, On the one side is fast and cheap and easy to access but on the other side it
may be fake information, the fast spread of fake information has a negative impact on the peace
of human beings and society. Media serves as a watchdog, holding a government agencies
policies makers accountable for the implementation of social security programmes. Media in its
various forms, acts as a powerful catalyst for shaping public perception and consciousness
whether through traditional outlets or digital realm of social media and online news platforms, it
has immense influence in shaping how individuals received threats, responds to crisis and
envision a harmonious society.This influence extends beyond borders, transcending cultural and
geographical boundaries to united the global community in the quest for the peace and security.
Media is also sometimes distorted, fragmented biased in many cases. Media also sometimes
misused for propaganda purposes to create violence and hatred and tensions among the public.
Unreliable information not to be circulated before evaluating them. Media should be used in a
positive way to build trust, to maintain peace and human security. Media plays a vital role in
shaping the field of journalism, with symbiotic relationship that has evolved over time. One of
the fundamental aspects of media law, media is the first amendment in united states which
guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of press. This constitutional rights article 19
empowers the journalists to investigate, report, and comment on the matters of public concern
without the government interference. Media covers public health emergencies like pandemic
such as covid-19 and assess its impact on public compliance with health guidelines and
government responses.

METHODOLOGY

Explanatory and analytical methods have been adopted in this study of relevant material for this
article. This study examines the pros and cons of media towards maintaining safety, peace and
security of human beings. The information for this research is collected from primary and
secondary sources.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Information is critical in an emergency response. Having the right information and sharing it
with the public is essential to ensure individuals are informed and take the proper precautions to
stay safe. The failure to do so can result in a lack of preparedness, confusion, and ultimately lives
lost. Right now emergency responders use social media to disseminate or gather information. In
the event of an emergency, public safety agencies can notify the public via posts on Twitter,
Facebook, and other social media outlets. Because these posts have the potential to reach large
targeted audiences quickly social media can be truly valuable in a dangerous situation. From
warnings about road conditions in bad weather to instructions and updates during an unfolding
public safety-related event, social media announcements can actually save lives. Through social
media, public safety and emergency management entities can quickly reach their constituents to
share critical emergency notifications, provide real-time updates on crises, and share life-saving
information to disaster survivors—all of which are essential in an emergency situation.
Nowadays, many law enforcement agencies monitor social media for potential crimes and
emergencies. Social media companies, at that, employ their own moderators to screen for illegal
or illicit activity, and report it to authoritites as needed.

MEDIA FRAMING OF SECURITY THREATS

While advantages of social media are so many, the threats to internal security in various forms
like cyber terrorism, fraud, crime, spreading violence etc are alarmingly become frequent now.

 Terrorism

Modern terrorism is media terrorism. Social Media gives a platform to the global terrorist to
convey their agenda to as many people as possible at one go. The platform is so huge that it can
reach to billions of people at one instant and helps the terrorists to propagate the vulnerable
minds in favour of terrorism by the virtue of motivating them on the name of religion, caste,
creed, colour and even economic condition.

 Cyber security

Cyber security is a broad-spectrum phrase and relates to preventing any form of unauthorised
and malafied access to a personal computer, a laptop, a smartphone or a major network like the
national banking system or the railway network or a national information technology asset that
also has military implications.

Cybersecurity attacks are Denial of service, Phishing, Malware attack, Sql injection, Password
are executed using malware, viruses, trojans, botnets, and social engineering.

Cyber is no more limited to security only, it is now linked with socio economics as well, which
includes politics, industry, health, education and critical infrastructure.

Measures taken:
  All organizations providing digital services have been mandated to report cyber security
incidents to Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN).
 Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) has been
launched for providing detection of malicious programmes and free tools to remove such
programmes.
 Formulation of Crisis Management Plan for countering cyberattacks and cyber terrorism.

 NATIONAL SECURITY

National security has been described as the ability of a state to cater for the protection and
defence of its citizenry. India’s national security is determined by its internal stability
and geopolitical interests.

Originally conceived as protection against military attack, national security is now widely
understood to include also non-military dimensions, including the security from terrorism,
minimization of crime, economic security, energy security, environmental security, food
security, cyber-security etc.

Precautions to avoid such threats

 Responsible social media by citizens themselves can avoid a major risk threat.
 Awareness programmes regarding the safe usage of Internet and social media
among the people.
 Training and employing ethical hackers to check vulnerabilities present in the
cyberspace and respond quickly when there is a cyber-attack.
 Review of the IT Act to make it stronger and setting up a crack team to respond to
unusual incidents on a war footing.
 Strengthening of social networking sites.

FEAR BASED MEDIA COVERAGE

The fear based media coverage is the practice of emphasizing and sentaionalizing negative or
frightening news stories in order to capture and maintainthe audience’s attention. This approach
has increased the fear and anxiety among people all over the world. So the nature of fear based
media coverage has affected the peace and security of the human beings.

MEDIA LITERACY AND SAFETY EDUCATION

Media literacy and safety education is crucial in today’s digital age. The media literacy provides
the ability to critically analyze and evaluate media content, including information from various
sources social media, news and entertainment to make informed decisions. The individuals must
know how to navigate the online world safely and responsibly. The individuals should recognize
the bias and indentify misinformation, media literacy and safety education helps in educating
individuals to safeguard their personal information, understand privacy settings on social media
platforms, using strong passwords, two factor authentication and safe browsing practices and
understanding the risk of oversharing and to create a safer online environment to protect against
cyber threats.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION

Social media combines innovation, broadcast communications, and social associations to provide
a platform for communication. The right to free speech and expression is a principle under the
Indian Constitution, and access to the internet and online life has been recognized as a basic right
for humans. It includes the freedom to have opinions without interference and the right to seek,
receive, and impart information and ideas.

Article 19 (1) of the Indian Constitution further grants the citizens of India with the right to free
speech and expression. This freedom entails the ability to openly share one's thoughts and
judgments through speaking, writing, printing, drawings, or any other means. It also involves the
right to spread or publish the opinions of others. In today's life, although the said right plays a
very vital role in the media industry, the regulation of freedom of speech in the media is
necessary. Freedom of speech comes with certain restrictions as people cannot be allowed to
spread unnecessary news or information and hatred against anyone all around the nation.The
power of the media is so much that it can go to an extent where it can make someone's life
meaningful and in contrast to that it may also damage someone's reputation to such a scale that
he/she may become unrecognizable to the world. The damage done to the reputation of a person
usually occurs by the dissemination of fake news, which eventually damages the reputation of
the person or an organization about the news.

JOURNALISM AND MEDIA

Media law plays a pivotal role in shaping the field of journalism, with a symbiotic relationship
that has evolved over time. At its core, media law encompasses a set of legal principles and
regulations that govern the conduct of journalists, media organizations, and the dissemination of
information to the public. This legal framework ensures a delicate balance between freedom of
the press and the protection of individual rights and public interests. The freedom of pess and
speech, This constitutional right empowers journalists to investigate, report, and comment on
matters of public concern without government interference. However, it's not an absolute right
and is subject to limitations, such as defamation laws, privacy rights, and national security
concerns.

Freedom of press:
The Indian Constitution does not explicitly state the right to freedom of the press, but the
Supreme Court has ruled that it is already guaranteed under the right to freedom of speech and
expression.

Landmark case:

The Hon'ble Court in Indian Express Newspapers v. Union of India & Ors.[18] was of the
opinion that "in today's democratic society, the freedom of the press is at the heart of social and
political discourse. The press's aim is to advance the public interest by disseminating realities
and evaluations that a popularity-based democracy cannot make appropriate decisions without
Papers are distributors of news and opinions with an emphasis on open organization, always
deliver content that is unsatisfactory to governments and other authorities."

Defamation, for example, is a critical component of media law that journalists must navigate
carefully. False statements that harm an individual's reputation can result in legal action.
Journalists must adhere to rigorous fact-checking and reporting standards to mitigate these risks.
Privacy rights are another facet of media law that journalists must consider. Invasion of privacy
claims can arise when journalists intrude into an individual's private life without consent, even
when reporting on matters of public interest.

SOCIAL MEDIA IN LIVES OF WOMEN

Today‘s era is the era of social media whose presence and active involvement has swiftly and
widely spread the ideologies for women empowerment. Social media has become the agent
of social change which helped and supported women‘s empowerment in various aspects such
as mobilizing attention of global community towards women‘s rights and challenges and
stereotypes across the globe. Social media has given platform to discuss issues and
challenges of women through blogs, chats, online campaign,
online discussion forums, and online communities
which is mostly not disseminated or propagated by mainstream media.It is
a new frontier to organise campaign or rally by women‘s rights activists to come forward
and fight for gender justice.Through social media, women across the globe are connected
and supporting each other such as lawmakers, politicians, business owners for gender equality.
There are also challenges faced by women in social media and online platforms such as
vulnerable to cyber abuse like online harassment. Online trolling is now going beyond the digital
realm, leading to cases like suicides. Fake profiles are often created for sullying victims’
reputation.With the worldwide restrictions due to the pandemic pushing more people online,
cases of online gender abuse have escalated.

MEDIA COVERAGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES

Media plays a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions and behavior when it comes to safety
and health. Its influence is vast and can have both positive and negative consequences. We will
examine the relationship between media and public safety and health, examining how the media
can inform, educate, and sometimes mislead the public in these crucial areas. Firstly, the media
serves as a primary source of information during public safety crises. Whether it's a natural
disaster, a pandemic, or a terrorist attack, people rely on the media to provide timely and
accurate information. The role of the media in disseminating critical information cannot be
overstated. It helps citizens stay informed about potential risks and allows them to take necessary
precautions. Moreover, media coverage can mobilize resources and support for affected
communities, fostering a sense of solidarity. However, the media's role is not limited to reporting
facts. It also has the power to shape public perceptions and attitudes. Sensationalized or biased
reporting can exacerbate fear and panic during crises. Misinformation and fake news, which
often spread rapidly through social media, can undermine public trust and hinder effective
response efforts. Therefore, media outlets bear a significant responsibility to maintain
journalistic integrity, fact-check information, and provide balanced coverage to ensure public
safety. Public health is another domain where the media wields considerable influence. Health-
related information is constantly disseminated through various media channels. While this can be
a valuable resource for individuals seeking to make informed health decisions, it can also be a
double-edged sword. Misleading health claims, celebrity endorsements of unproven treatments,
and sensationalized stories about health crises can misinform and potentially harm the public.

The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a stark example of the media's impact on public health. The
rapid spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories through social media platforms created
confusion and resistance to public health measures such as mask-wearing and vaccination. Media
outlets had a critical role in countering this misinformation by providing evidence-based
reporting and featuring experts to clarify public health guidelines.

MEDIA BIAS AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION

Media bias can significantly influence public perception. Media bias can manifest in several
ways. social, political , sensationalism and economical , they may present information in a way
that aligns with their bias. This can impact how people perceive events, issues, and even
individuals. Political bias, where media outlets one political party over the another. Economic
bias is another prevalent form of media bias, media outlets are often owned by large corporations
or individuals with specific economic interests. Sensationalism is a form of bias that priorotizes
dramatic or attention- grabbing stories over more nuanced or less sensational ones. Cultural and
social bias can also manifest in the media. This involves the representation of certain groups or
demographics in ways that perpetuate stereotypes or reinforce societal norms.

The impact of media bias on public perception is profound. Firstly, biased media can reinforce
preexisting beliefs and attitudes. People tend to consume media that aligns with their existing
views, a phenomenon known as confirmation bias. When media outlets confirm individuals'
beliefs, it can lead to further polarization and a lack of willingness to consider alternative
perspectives. Moreover, media bias can contribute to the spread of misinformation and the
erosion of trust in journalism. When people perceive media outlets as biased, they may be more
likely to dismiss credible news sources and turn to fringe or unreliable sources that align with
their own biases. Media bias can also shape public opinion by framing issues in particular ways.
The way a story is framed can influence how people perceive the issue and what solutions they
believe are appropriate.

NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Media has played a crucial role in dissemination of information, awareness and knowledge about
public health. However social media also becomes a propoganda, exaggeration and falsehood.
Media provides a huge information and half truths as media provides a freedom of choice so
every individual broadcast the information according to his choice and interest. In present
scenario, there are number of 24 hours news channel, social media applications and newspaper
etc, he journalistsbcompete with each other to create profitable news, so sometimes to increase
the TRP’s they try to sensationalize and spiced the news to attract more viewers. It is very
difficult to find authentic information from millions offalse information and half truths. Media is
losing the trust of the general public. The media has to avoid this and stay on the belief of social
responsibility.

CONCLUSION
media - public peace safety and security," it means that the media plays a crucial role in
promoting and maintaining peace, safety, and security in society. Through accurate and
responsible reporting, the media can raise awareness about potential threats, inform the public
about safety measures, and hold authorities accountable for maintaining law and order.
Additionally, the media can help prevent the spread of misinformation and rumors that can
contribute to panic and unrest. It is important for media outlets to prioritize responsible reporting
and consider the potential impact on public peace, safety, and security. Overall, a well-
functioning media can contribute to a safer and more secure society.