Body set up to rein in social media

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Department has established Digital Media Directorate to regulate social media.

Information & PRs Department secretary Arshad Khan underscored the establishment of the Social/Digital Media Directorate as pivotal in managing all social and digital media needs of the government.

“Through the directorate, we will conduct surveys, polls, and rigorous pre-and-post campaign analyses to gauge the impact of digital media initiatives. Insights gleaned from social media will provide valuable inputs for policy formulation,” he elaborated.

The newly formed Social/Digital Media Directorate will oversee critical functions such as verifying government department accounts, raising public awareness via digital platforms, executing targeted campaigns, formulating comprehensive social media policies and monitoring online discourse in collaboration with agencies like the Federal Investigation Agency and NR3C.

Specifically, it will address concerns such as anti-state rhetoric, misinformation, anti-religious content and emotionally charged online material.

This initiative is expected to standardize and enhance the credibility of all government social media channels, ensuring transparent and effective communication with the public.

The department has embarked on a proactive initiative to regulate and streamline digital platforms. This strategic step aims to optimize government communications and bolster public outreach through efficient use of social media channels.

It will address a variety of concerns including inappropriate rhetoric, information inaccuracies, inappropriate content, and provocative online material.