One-Day National Seminar on Fake News: Negative Influences of Social and Digital Media on Human Behavior

Press Release: Seminar on the Impact of Fake News Hosted by Pakistan House at Bahria University Islamabad

Islamabad, December 7, 2023 , An enlightening seminar on “Fake News: Negative Influences of Social and Digital Media on Human Behaviour,” was put together by Pakistan House and Bahria University Islamabad, experts from different fields talked about how fake news is becoming a bigger problem in the digital age. The speakers gave thought-provoking talks at the event. Each one brought a different view to the important topic of fake news and how it affects society.

Dr. Adam, who is the Principal Dean of the Humanities and Social Sciences Department, started the conversation by talking about how false information has been spread in the past. He said that fake news has always been a problem, but it has changed with the times to become even more dangerous in the digital age. After him, the well-known psychologist Ms. Semra Salik, discussed the psychological impact of fake news on individuals. She explained how false information could lead to fear, anxiety, and even detrimental actions among the public, stressing the need for awareness and education to combat these effects.

The talk by Muhammad Athar Javed, Director General of Pakistan House, was one of the most important parts of the seminar. Mr. Javed stressed that fake news is not a new thing; it has been a part of human history for hundreds of years. He used examples from different times, like the Roman Empire’s use of false information campaigns, to show how fake news has been used to control and influence people. Mr. Javed strongly argued that Pakistan, like many other countries, has to deal with a constant stream of false information that often taints the country’s image in other countries. He said that Pakistan is often shown in a bad light in foreign media, especially by some Indian outlets. This made it clear that there is a need of a strong system to counter these lies. Mr. Javed wanted a comprehensive plan to fight fake news that included teaching people how to use the media better, enforcing journalistic ethics, and encouraging countries to work together to stop cross-border misinformation.

Along with these ideas, Dr. Djezair Ziberi, a German expert on fake news, Dr. Mohsin Hassan Khan, Senior Assistant Professor at the Media Studies Department, and Dr. Saima Kulsum, Principal of Psychology, talked about the effects of fake news on a society as a whole. They talked about how constant exposure to false information leads to broken patterns of behavior, which results in lack of trust in institutions and the media.

The seminar, which was praised for being in-depth and useful, showed that Pakistan House is dedicated to tackling modern societal problems. Today, false information can spread very quickly. Projects like these are very important for giving people the tools and information required to differentiate between truth and falsehood, which will ultimately make society stronger.

From left to right, Ms. Semra Salik, Dr. Saima Kulsoom, Muhammad Athar Javed, Dr. Adam Saud

Ms. Semra Salik receiving the token of appreciation on behalf of Pakistan House

Muhammad Athar Javed receiving the token of appreciation from Dr. Adam Saud

Moderator Zarka Khan, Research Associate at Pakistan House commencing the session open.