THERE are is no dearth of forums, human rights organisations, media outlets and other platforms that days, offering easy and affordable opportunitiesto people to raise their voice on any social issue.

However, it has been observed in recent times, particularly after the proliferationof smartphones, that almost all of these platforms are being increasingly misused by many who call or present themselves as `journalists`, `social workers`, or `human rights activists` when the fact is that they happen to be nothing but non-professional, unqualified, incompetent individuals hiding behind the façade of civil society.

They usually not only harass and blackmail ordinary people, but also trap small businessmen and workers for petty personal benefits.

These `electronic activists`, can, and often do,spread unauthenticated and baseless information against people just to blackmail them, or to get material or monetary benefits in return, or to achieve some personal agenda. They are the main culprits behind many social evils. They neither possess basic knowledge of social problems, nor do they have any professional qualification to sort out any social issue in a professional and rational way. It is out of question that these unscrupulous individuals can be called journalists.

While using social media platforms does not make anyone a journalist, it also does not make anyone competent enough to be a judge in any capacity at all. Societies do possess socialevils and ills, and they need to be eradicated, but only through institutional mechanism or by political intervention. Today, anyone having a smartphone in possession sets out to sort out all social ills.

The worst part of this menace is that gradually, society and professional organisations also start acknowledging the `contribution` of these self-acclaimed activists as `journalists`, `technocrats` or at least as`relevant`civilsociety stakeholders.They are not.

Social welfare organisations, including human rights bodies and other social platforms, should not let their forums be misused by these incompetent non-professionals.

Dildar Ali Khairpur Mirs