Since news moved online, it opened up new and unique ways of interaction between people, and with the news media themselves.

In today’s online world, people could read a story and instantly post their comments either beneath an article, or on social media.

This allows for online debates and user engagement which reach new heights as technology progresses. It allows for people across the globe to communicate and debate issues of international importance, and at a more local level, allows for discussions on the national interest.

But there are instances where people come to conclusions before knowing the full story. The topic of migration is one case in point. “Go back to your country,” “send them back”, “they have no right to be here,” are typical comments that people post online without knowing the full situation. These asylum seekers might have every right to be here as refugees.

While many express their opinions positively and acceptably, some people say things that they would not dream to say face-to face. Hate speech is a crime. Threatening someone’s life is a crime. Racism is a crime. To those guilty of posting such things, stop and think before hitting that ‘post’ button.

On a daily basis, this newsroom combs through comments prior to publishing them, some of which are so full of bile and hate they are never allowed to be published. Now some of these commentators might not realise the kind of effect their comment could have on others. Maybe society has become so desensitised to this situation that some people they do not realise the kind of oppression they might be inflicting on others, that is, until they themselves become a victim of such statements.

Words still hurt in today’s day and age.

Politicians are also targets, as are public figures. While there is fair comment on controversial figures, threats are not acceptable, and never will be. People do not get a carte blanche for threatening someone just because they are a public official. One can scrutinise their work, one can speak out when scandals break, but one also has to exercise caution. There is a fine line between fair comment and a libellous one.

When commenting on social media and online, please, do think twice before posting. Ask yourselves, if I came face to face with these people, would I say this? And how would I feel if someone said it to me?

On a separate note, people also tend to jump to conclusions during the early days of court proceedings. While not referring to court proceedings which come after extensive investigation by the media, through which many facts would have already been made available to the public, when it comes to newer stories such as that involving the elderly man who allegedly robbed a bank just this past week, one must be careful and not jump to conclusions before knowing the whole story.

This newsroom is not justifying what he might have done in any way, but the facts of the situation still need to be uncovered.