ISLAMABAD – The federal government has blocked approximately 80,000 mobile SIMs linked to the dissemination of fake news, Cabinet Division Parliamentary Secretary Sajid Mehdi revealed to the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Responding to a call to action regarding fake news on social media, Mehdi outlined several measures taken to combat this issue, including the formation of a joint task force. The task force has already submitted its findings to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Key Measures to Counter Fake News
- Amendments to PECA 2016: Mehdi emphasized the need to amend the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) to expedite trials of fake news cases.
- VPN Registration: The government is moving to regulate Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to monitor online activities more effectively.
- Awareness Campaigns: A nationwide campaign has been launched to educate the public on the dangers and consequences of spreading fake news.
Mehdi expressed confidence that these initiatives would significantly curb the spread of misinformation and promote responsible online behavior.
