KARACHI:
IT experts and social activists have come up with some useful tips and advice to check misinformation, disinformation, harmful content and manufactured campaigns on social media. They suggest that the government should formulate rules and enforce them strictly so that businesses are not harmed on social media.
Social media is an emerging industry where thousands of people earn a decent living by uploading short videos, posts and garnering likes, comments, website visits and other interactions. They reported that social media addiction is on the rise, describing it as a new world order affecting trends, styles, mindsets and online businesses.
They stressed that the government should make clear rules, involving social media platforms, civil society and IT companies, to ensure efficiency and spread digital awareness among people.
The Chinese model, they argue, is better when it comes to social media control, incorporating holistic approaches, filtering tools and registering real user names, allowing authorities to monitor and track activities efficiently and quickly.
By implementing various strategies such as awareness campaigns, regulatory initiatives and developing a habit of checking data before sharing content, users can mitigate the spread and impact of misinformation, disinformation, harmful content and manufactured campaigns both online and offline. and offline platforms.
The volume of misinformation and disinformation is increasing on social media, which is negatively affecting the credibility and growth of online businesses, including digital banking and e-commerce, according to Dellsons Associates President Ibrahim Amin.
Amin highlighted the need for all stakeholders, including regulators, companies and consumers, to control misinformation, which leads to financial crimes and fraud, affecting various companies and their users with the rise of the internet and social media. networking in everyday life.
He suggested that consumers should always verify rewards and investment programs with the company before making any investments, and regulators should block any content used to advertise harmful programs.
It also recommended that companies and regulators continue to educate people about financial fraud and scams, provide advice on how to avoid these pitfalls through various means and channels, and take action against cybercriminals and fraudsters, particularly within the country.
IT analyst Muhammad Yasir said that regulation of the internet and social media could be largely done by government authorities in collaboration with the management of social media companies. However, full content control and monitoring is not possible until a Chinese model is adopted to ban foreign social networking sites and create alternative local platforms for citizens.
In Pakistan, relevant authorities have created a model to block content for users within the country by contacting the management of social media platforms. This has led to the removal of blasphemous, indecent and anti-government content in the past, mainly on platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and Bigo.
While this system can effectively preserve the country’s values and beliefs, it can also negatively impact businesses based on social media, digital marketing and e-commerce. Therefore, the government should establish dedicated access procedures and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for online businesses to ensure that their livelihoods are not disrupted.
Any content control mechanism should be established to curb misinformation without affecting the businesses of online workers.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13u2024.
Like Businesses on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay updated and join the conversation.
a href=”https://tribune.com.pk/story/2462408/experts-for-fighting-misinformation”>Source link
