Chairperson Senate committee on IT calls for action against misuse of social media

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator and Chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom, Rubina Khalid has recently called for action to prevent the misuse of technology and social media to spread false news. She expressed concerns over abuse of social media in a recent meeting of the senate committee after a post on social media went viral claiming that 560kg gold was found at senator’s residence.

“If I had this much gold, I could have benefited from the amnesty scheme,” Senator Khalid maintained her stance while denying allegations made by the social media post. She went on to add that if the gold had been recovered from her house, then it should be given to the IMF so that they can return their loans.

Being the focal person of the Senate’s committee on IT and Telecom, she raised concern over misuse of social media and told the committee how she made a complaint with the relevant department when a fake page was uploaded on social media that claimed a large amount of gold had been recovered from her home.

In addition, another committee member Senator Rehman Malik who agreed to restrict fake news on social media, said that strict legislation is required to take action against such people. He also complained of receiving a large number of wrong’ messages on his mobile phone.

Later on, the committee decided to form a three-member subcommittee. And the subcommittee has been directed to submit a report within one week with suggestions of what legislative and administrative measures could be used with the help of the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing.

Meanwhile, Chairman PTA informed the committee that where it has taken steps to resolve 28 complaints they received regarding child pornographic content, it also sends public awareness messages to register complaints regarding unlawful and objectionable content.