‘Media restrictions hampering fight against misinformation’
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Description
The CEJ at IBA Karachi revealed that AI-driven misinformation surged in 2025, with deepfakes and misleading content spreading faster than ever. iVerify Pakistan analyzed over 1,000 claims from December 2023 to November 2025, verifying 513 across politics, religion, conflict, and social issues. CEJ Chairperson Azhar Abbas highlighted that restrictions on mainstream media worsen the problem, as silenced outlets allow social media and AI networks to fill the vacuum. Politics was the most exploited domain, with misinformation propagated by multiple actors, including PTI and PML-N supporters, as well as Indian accounts. CEJ Director Shahzeb Jillani emphasized expanding partnerships across media, academia, and public institutions to counter misinformation. Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar stressed that government alone cannot tackle disinformation and supported initiatives like iVerify. Social media and encrypted messaging platforms were identified as major channels for spreading false content.
Publication Source
The News International
Publication Date
1-14-2026
Pages
14
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Communication | Journalism Studies
Recommended Citation
News Desk. (2026, January 14). ‘Media restrictions hampering fight against misinformation’. The News International, . 14. https://ir.iba.edu.pk/press-media/155
Keywords
Misinformation, AI, iVerify Pakistan, deepfakes, social media, fact-checking, media restrictions, disinformation
