So-called journalism on social media
Editorial
Nowadays, there is a trend on social media e.g. Facebook and YouTube in Pakistan that many persons, claiming themselves as journalists, would have been interviewing the accused persons involved in different cases at police stations and asking them various objectionable and illogical questions. But, here, a question arises that who has given them the authority to interview the accused persons during investigation and try to give judgements by declaring them culprits?
This culture of so-called journalism on social media has been trending for the last many years in all parts of the country, however, no proper action has been taken yet against these fake media persons by preventing them from such an unethical and irresponsible media practice.
Here, it is highly important to note that there is no provision in law for the media trial of the accused persons in police custody, while this practice is completely illegal as it can adversely affect the investigation and court trial that will lead to injustice and complications in the cases. Moreover, the bullshit content, spreading through these social media shows, is also impacting the youth negatively by misguiding them in their social life.
A large number of educated people throughout the country have also been criticizing this dirt in the form of news and demanding that the government must plan an effective and sustainable policy to end this filth under the cover of journalism.
Therefore, it is high time for the federal and provincial governments and the authorities concerned to initiate a policy on emergency basis and impose ban on such illegal media practice. The police high-ups in the federal and provincial governments should also direct their staff not to allow any social media activist to any police station to interview the accused persons during investigation and court trial.
The mainstream media, journalistic associations, and press clubs should also play their due role in eradicating the menace of this so-called journalism by defining the journalist and journalism to public and create mass awareness in society that every social media activist is not a journalist while there is a big difference between journalism and social media activism.
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