There is nothing wrong in netizens turning into scribes on social media, reporting, blogging or vlogging on issues but the problem arises when these netizens forget that there is a procedure of cross-checking the facts before putting up sensitive news like rape, riots, communal tensions or deaths. However, things get difficult when senior journalists are found involved in spreading fake news that subsequently had resulted into vandalism. In Pakistan, over a dozen of vloggers and TikTokers were arrested for allegedly spreading fake stories about an alleged rape of a girl student. The incident took place in the Punjab province of Pakistan over a week ago. Violent protests broke out as soon as the news was flashed.
According to investigating agencies probing the incident, the news was fake. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the local police have already arrested 16 individuals, mostly vloggers and tiktokers, during the week. Those identified for vandalism and violence will be arrested soon.
On Saturday today, Senior Punjab police officer Imran Kishwar informed that police have also identified 40 students involved in vandalism and violence. “We have also blocked 138 social media accounts spreading fake news about the incident,” he added.
The cybercrime wing of FIA said that they had identified social media accounts of 38 senior journalists, lawyers, vloggers and TikTokers who were found involved in spreading the fake news.
Later, an investigative committee formed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz found no evidence of rape at the college, nor did it find any eyewitnesses. Maryam Nawaz blamed former jailed prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for exploiting the matter through social media.
