Daily Times

We are living in an epoch of fifth-generation warfare (5GW), which symbolises a battleground that is more high-tech now than it was earlier. With the accelerated progress, there is a technological revolution evolving all around. The technology characterised by innovations and changes taking place rapidly have resulted in aparadigm shift inthis warfare. It is often called a hybrid war, which emphasises non-state actors in combat with national states out of sheer frustration, without clearly defined political milestones, and with the aim of undermining the fighting spirit of opponents. This is more of a psychological phenomenon by evil means intended to get destructive results. The technology has opened up avenues to an array of potent content sharing platforms such as social media or social networking sites.

The battlefield is technology and cyberspace, fastmoving, constantly changing and on the flux. Things are moving in a different direction, fighting an utterly different war, and on an entirely different level. Fake news is one of the weaponry in the hands of non-state elements that are profoundly eager to influence views, to accomplish a political agenda and to fulfil some nefarious designs. The national environment is brimmed with political, business and social rivalries in Pakistan.What is instigatedis the swift spread of fake news thatis often generated in a sensational and agenda setting milieu. It is often perceived as one of the greatest threats to democracy, independence and national interests.

It is important to understand the reasons behind the problem, and why and how false or misleading information is propagated across continents to enable a certain amount of distortion and deception. Besides the involvement of negative elements in creating and perpetuating misleading information on a large scale,news outlets have also succumbed to the pressure of intense competition. They are crucially important in spreading misinformation, in most instances, competing to be the number one phenomenon, which results in compromising the authenticity of the news. It misleads and confuses the minds of the people. When people stop thinking, and blindly follow a path without raising questions and without thought, it cultivates a fertile breeding ground for fake news.

Without validating the authenticity of news, sharing a news item is indeed an awful behaviour. The ongoing debate concerning fake news islargely because of journalists and news consumers; both should act responsibly while sharing any news. Media ordinarily builds a narrative. The entire environment is muddled with the outburst of fake news. It contributes to rumors, misinformation, slander and lies. The public and the media are equally responsible for this problem. People take advantage of the power they hold, and small drops of misinformation turn into a huge sea of delusion. It is indeed high time that a little care is taken about the truth.

Fake news is a piece of information that consists of intentional misinformation and disinformation, and it is disseminated through some medium, especially social media. The deliberate disinformation or hoaxes are spread through traditional news platforms. In the pursuit of some agendas, concerted efforts are designed to brew something out of nothing. With manipulative or malicious intent, individuals, institutions and even states are discredited.

A research finding has disclosed a network of 265 fake local news sites and has identified a big cache of dubious news portals across 65 countries being utilised to disseminate anti-Pakistan coverage and serve Indian governmental interests. The goal is to influence public perceptions of Pakistan by distorting and spreading the same negative anti-Pakistan press coverage across hundreds of sites. This is the first time that a highly sophisticated online network has been unearthed.

The EU Disinfo Lab, a Brussels based non-governmental organisation, focused on researching and dealing with sophisticated disinformation campaigns, has exposed the sprawling network engaged in propagating misinformation against Pakistan and Muslims living around the world. The network comprised of Indian companies, NGOs and think tanks.

The active identified sites have been in operation by serving syndicated news emanating from Russia Today and Voice of America. The large cache of disinformation was found unintentionally; it contained articles and op-eds related to minorities in Pakistan and other perplexing topics.The Indian government is reportedly involved in incitement to actual violence, which has extensively caused unrest and tension between the two countries. The aim was to isolate Pakistan in the comity of nations. The EU DisinfoLab has also discovered that there is a variety of content and videos covering interviews, events and protests in which Pakistan has been condemned for the role it played in the Indian-occupied Kashmir.

Media helps in stopping the spread of false information, propaganda and manipulation of the information

The EU NGO uncovered a worldwide network of fake media outlets and exposed the intent of the entire campaign. The NGO stated: “…put several layers of media outlets that quote and republish one another, making it harder for the reader to trace the manipulation, and in turn, somehow offer a mirage of international support.” There was also an attempt to spread disinformation; a global network of sites designed to influence the European Union and the United Nations by repeated criticism and resentment over Pakistan was discovered.

This appears to be a larger part of the campaign against Pakistan. The group is operating from different locations and four out of six outlets in India: Calcutta Gazette,Swatantra Nepali, The Bombay Chronicle and The Madras Times. Strangely, they were named after extinct local newspapers or spoof media outlets. The other two outlets, Ludhiana Times and Times of Ambala, are relatively new publications. The media outlets are actively engaged in republishing the same dubious content or material that was sourced from different news agencies around the world, such as the Bangladesh SangbadSangstha,Russia’s Interfax and EP Today. Most of the websites have a presence on Twitter; diverse tactics are deployed in increasing suspicious information; and organised propaganda campaigns are launched for sowing the seeds of distrust, misinformation and sponsored political motives. The content is characterised by aggression, incitement, and vituperation.

It is not a secret that India has beeninvolved in acts of sectarian terrorism, subversive activities and terror attacks in different parts of our country. Pakistan is facing a counterterrorism policy of Ajit Kumar Doval, India’s National Security Advisor. Doval a crucial figure in Modi government, has been “advocating the policy of supporting and patronising militant groups to neutralise terror threats from Pakistan.” India has activated anti-Pakistan sentiments, intimidations of power and pro-Baloch resistance from Afghanistan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi openly confessed, in a public event at the Dhaka University in Bangladesh on June 6, 2015, of the Indian role for “subversive activities to destabilise Pakistan.” He was discussing the fateful events that ultimately led to the 1971 war, the disintegration of Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh.

The role of media is very important in spreading and relaying information, facts and messages to public. The main functions are to amuse, entertain and inform. It also exposes flaws, bringing the veiled facts to public and preventing potential injustices. It keeps fighting to contribute for the right of the people to a fair trial, liberty and freedom of speech.

There are disparate types of information, which are increasingly available to accommodate disparate interests. Media has to invest in high quality and accessible information that creates national integration and reconciliation. It has a very important role to promote a national cause and communal harmony. Media can do wonders if it performs with moral values and an ethical behaviour. It is indeed an indomitable challenge for those who dare to stay independent and fearless of consequences for truthful reporting. Media helps in stopping the spread of false information, propaganda and manipulation of the information. Like other sectors, media has also played a role uncharacteristic of its stature.

In recent times, it was found that media reporting in a wide range of topics was meant to relay erroneous communication, prejudicial disclosures and biased conclusions. The fundamental right of media-independence-hasbeen despondently crumbled. High-quality journalism that is fundamental to the functioning of a democracyis compromised by self-interest. Negative coverage of topics of national significance has been done for petty motives. The rat race of the rating system to get the highest viewership has accelerated the downward spiral of weak performances. Regrettably, it has contributed to cultural deterioration, ideological degradation, and flawed viewpoints, and it has been involved in disseminating lop-sided stories, twisted views and distorted facts.

The evidence suggests that the self-serving bias is the leading factor that has overwhelmingly muddled and misguided the realities of the world. Media, in many ways,has remained antagonistic, encouraged a reactionary discourse, and dispersed misinformation. Media, as a whole, did not work to support harmony, and contributed to fermenting the political environment that is exceedingly polarised and excruciatingly charged.

In the context of the real world, media actually influences the public policy, indicates citizen concerns and pinpoints real-life indicators. It is a strong force to purse the national cause and the identity of the nation as Pakistan.

The writer is a freelancer