93/2023-2024

Aizawl, the 8th June 2023 : Information & Public Relations Minister Pu Lalruatkima today inaugurated a Media Workshop targeted at content creators on YouTube and other social media platforms at the I & PR Auditorium at Aizawl.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Pu Lalruatkima said this was the first such workshop planned at bringing together Youtubers and other content creators. Given the sway such content creators have on society, he said it is necessary to guide and advise content creators who post content particularly relating to news reporting and current events and they must also follow ethical standards of collection and reporting of news.

Noting the popularity of YouTube in the state he said YouTube perhaps is the most popular platform in the state since it has content that can garner interest of all age groups and is not just a source of only a source of entertainment or information but it has become a means of livelihood for content creators. Talking about the impact of social media in our lives today, he said it is important that content must be generated within the ambit of personal ethics, societal norms and traditional values and this must be accorded importance, he added. He further added that the power of social media must be to harness it for the common good thereby helping in making a better Mizo society.

Dr. Lalthlamuana, Chief Informatics Officer, ICT Department who delivered the keynote address spoke about how social media has made it possible for common people to have a voice and have their voices heard. He said that the advent of social media has changed our lives forever and it has transformed the media landscape.

At the two Technical Sessions spread out throughout the day four resource persons presented their papers on various aspects of social media. Prof. Malsawmliana, Secretary, Mizoram Peoples’ Forum presented a paper regarding transparency in elections in the backdrop of social media; Pi Irene Lalruatkimi, News Editor, Regional News Unit, AIR talked about the duties and responsibilities by social media users; Pu Lalengzuala, Informatics Officer, ICT Department made a presentation on Exploring Social Media’s dual nature in Mizo society : Harnessing the influence while Pu Zonun Sanga, Addl. SP CID (Crime) educated the content creators about cyber crimes and laws related to it. The closing remark was delivered by Pi P B Lianthangpuii, Joint Director, I & PR Department.

The Media Workshop was well attended by social media content creators, representatives from the print and electronic media and by media wings of political parties and NGOs.