Need for responsible use of social media stressed

PESHAWAR: Adviser to Chief Minister on Information & Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif on Monday underscored the need for responsible use of social media and an accountability framework to address the growing misuse of information in the digital age.

Expressing his views at the roundtable discussion on strengthening Media and Information Literacy (MIL) policy framework at the University of Peshawar, Saif highlighted the widespread misuse of digital platforms for disinformation, medical misinformation, and character assassination adding that the remedy lies not just in legal frameworks but also in cultivating moral responsibility and ethical media education.

“The issue is sociological and psychological before it becomes legal. Our behaviors, urges, and societal values must be reoriented to respect truth and dignity,” the adviser explained.He expressed concern over fragmented audiences on social media and how monetization without accountability is influencing public discourse.

“When a person earns revenue by misrepresenting facts, there must be a mechanism for holding them accountable,” he said, adding that the current global digital structure benefits from our markets but remains immune to our laws.

The adviser said that today, misuse of information-now supercharged by digital platforms-had metastasized into new forms of societal harm: misinformation in health, manipulation in politics, religious hatred, and the erosion of family values.

He warned of the growing fragmentation of society caused by social media echo chambers, stating, “People no longer read newspapers or watch full-length analysis. They consume sensational clips devoid of context, forming dangerous opinions. The monetization of controversy has replaced journalistic integrity.”

Referring to international best practices, he praised Taiwan’s inclusion of digital media literacy in school curricula and called on Pakistan to emulate such models.