Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai decided to disable his account @sardesairajdeep on Twitter on Saturday. He cited extensive abuse and personal attacks against him and alleged hacking of his account which led him to take this step. This is what he wrote:

"2 days ago, I temporarily disabled my Twitter account. It was a decision taken because, frankly, I had reached breaking point with social media. To be subject to a concerted campaign of lies and abuse on a daily basis is not very pleasant, esp when they try and drag in your wife and kids. I joined Twitter five years ago because my friend Sushmit Sarkar told me it is the future in a media 360 age. I must confess over the years I became a Twitter addict. And the addiction I now realise was self destructive: when you latch your thoughts to 140 characters, when your self image is determined by twitter opinion, then you know that you are in trouble. I even tried to engage with the so called haters but have sadly realised that there is no space for engagement: twitter lives in a 'them' versus 'us' black and white universe with no space for sanity or dialogue.


"So a Twitter detox has begun: I don't know how long it will last, but I must confess to having had a good morning without pouring through my timeline and getting my blood pressure up. Not that the abuse has stopped: someone put up my number on a public facebook page and since yesterday have received calls a minute/whatsapp messages designed to threaten, intimidate and even promise death! Will file a police complaint but not sure what good it will do. In the social media space, anyone can say anything without any restraint. All in the name of free speech and open society(and, of course, Bhakti!). The latest canard being spread is that I got money in the Agusta Westland deal and even a flat in Colaba!! Wow!

"If this isn't utterly Goebbelsian, then I don't know what is. We live in difficult times and I must confess that I feel deeply troubled by the toxicity in the air. Which is why I need oxygen: hopefully, family, friends, cricket and music will provide it. it's time to breathe again!!??