Social Media's Gate-keeping Across Borders Urged

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2018 ) :Media expert�on Sunday�stressed the need for 'gate-keeping' of social media by enacting international and national laws to ensure filtering of fake information, and discouraging propaganda against group or society.

"In contemporary modern world times, the state's responsibilities have increased manifold and it has to protect citizens from the bad use and misuse of the kinds of propaganda over these social platforms, so that our attitudes do not become negative which can have social impact," Chairman Department of Media and Communication Studies, International Islamic University, Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal said while talking to APP�on Sunday.

He proposed that state should be responsible for protecting the minds of people to avoid extremist and radicalized approaches in the society. "We need to establish analysis centre to monitor what is coming through social media."� Prof Zafar Iqbal said "People have liking or disliking what is coming on social media.

We need to use different techniques of sentiment analysis to gauge negativity, associated with social media posts," he added.� He said social media had flooded every society and there were around 50 million social media users in Pakistan.

"Some of the fake and spicy news are there, hate Mongers are also there, which are affecting our attitude and behavior. We need to understand that things are seemingly operating," he added.� He stressed the need to train and educate the youth and a child by imparting them critical thinking that the information they were receiving over social media, was either fake or real.� He said social media and the digital sphere offered a great new opportunity for Journalism, enabling reporters to tell stories in different ways, while working with data to create depth and context for their audience.

"However, those who indulge in propaganda are also making use of data with considerable success, spreading misinformation with the purpose of promoting their own agendas, leading to a loss of trust in the media in� the process," he added.� He said, the media was being manipulated these days, making it difficult for even the highly professionals among the journalists to escape becoming willing promoters of this propaganda without realizing what they were doing.� APP-KTK