ISLAMABAD: The government has created a Twitter handle to expose and counter fake news spread via social media, but digital rights activists and experts are expressing concern over the move because of the lack of a proper policy guideline.
“We are observing and monitoring the fake news on social media, but so far no concrete legislation is on the cards,” Javaria Zafar Aheer, parliamentary secretary for information and broadcasting, told Arab News.
Social media in Pakistan, she said, like in some other countries, is not state-controlled and therefore is not easy to purge off from fake and fabricated information. “This is a challenge for us and we are looking for viable ways to deal with it,” she added.
The government sprang into action to counter fake news following the circulation of a false notification suggesting that a ruling party member, Maleeka Bokhari, had been appointed as chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Program – a social welfare project.
It was also made viral on social media that Prime Minister Imran Khan had appointed his stepdaughter as adviser to the PM on women empowerment on a monthly remuneration of Rs750,000 ($6,083). The government denied all such allegations.
The Ministry of Information’s Twitter handle, @FakeNews_Buster, said the objective of social media is information, education and knowledge sharing. “It should be based on truth and should not spread fake news and disinformation to achieve ulterior motives. Otherwise, it will erode its credibility,” it said.
Sadaf Khan, digital rights activist and director at Media Matters for Democracy, said the government should have launched proper guidelines and a policy before announcing a crackdown against fake news.
“It is not the job of the government to fact-check each and everything,” she told Arab News. “It is a dangerous trend that could lead to a crackdown on dissenting voices under the garb of tackling fake news.”
Khan said the government had just created a Twitter handle claiming that it will help bust fake news without elaborating on any terms of references.
“The government’s vague policy regarding checking fake news will only enhance apprehensions of civil society about freedom of the press and freedom of expression,” she added.
Professor Tahir Malik, academic and political analyst, explained that social media teams from different political parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, were involved in spreading fake news on social networking websites.
“Social media teams make fabricated information viral on social media platforms against their rivals to damage their reputation and political standing,” he told Arab News.
According to Malik, fake news on social media ranges from personal attacks to abuse, memes and Photoshopped official notifications which do nothing but deceive gullible civilians into forming a skewed public opinion on an issue.
“It is a global and grave issue. The government needs to handle it carefully,” he said.
