Digital break at time is the need of the hour : DIPR Director
Source: The Sangai Express / DIO

Imphal, December 13 2025: A one day consultation on ethical media practices for protecting child rights and dignity in Manipur was held today at the DIPR office auditorium.

The meeting was organised by the Manipur Digital Media Association (MDMA) in collaboration with Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) and DIPR Manipur.

Drawing attention of the gathering, DIPR Director Ngangom Uttam stressed on the need of a digital break sometimes from the social media world to cope with the challenges caused by the storm in the digital space.

"Humans are not well-equipped to face this sudden ,drastic change in the vast digital space now", he added.

He also said the main motive behind social media giants like Facebook and Instagram is to catch maximum public attention so that they can accelerate their money-making business through advertising.

Their agenda focuses on public consumption by making more and more people consume their content and get addicted in the process, Uttam said and added that this business model revolves only on money-making and commercialisation alone by increasing public consumption and ignoring ethical standards.

He elaborated that AI in the internet is designed in such a way to carry away and lure the minds of the users to their content in a devastating manner.

So, internet ban sometimes becomes a necessary step by the Government to monitor unwanted damages and conflicts in society caused by unverified viral news, he said and that the new generation is so much concerned about instant gratification by the number of likes, comments, shares etc.

in social media to an extent that going viral becomes so important to them.

AI will not be able to check fake news, he said and added that use of digital media in 'our day to day lives' is optimal so change and growth of social media in the right direction is necessary.

Social media use in a positive way, however, is significant, he also stated.

Editor of The Frontier Manipur, Dhiren Sadokpam highlighted the need of sensitisation to check and balance the trauma that occurs by divulging the identity of juvenile children involved in crisis or crimes in public.

Reporting should follow accurate verification, certain ethical guidelines, accountability mechanisms and core values of digital media, he said.

Chairperson of MCPCR Keisham Pradipkumar spoke on " Responsible Digital Media & Social Platforms", highlighting the dos and don'ts of reporting that media persons should follow while covering sensitive issues and crimes involving children.

Children should not be misused as a subject of sympathy and their identity, rights, privacy and dignity should be safeguarded, he noted.

State Co-ordinator of MCPCR UNICEF, Boipu Koireng underlined the importance of digital media ethics in the present day adding that the main components include collecting key information, making a framework and linkage on child protection.

An interactive session and discussion amongst the participants and resource persons was also held after the power-point lectures.

DCPOs of the Social Welfare Department, media officials from the Frontier Manipur, The Indian Express, TOM TV, Social Media Express, NE TV, Singjamei360, RK Production etc.

and other related officials took part in the programme.

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