Islamabad: The federal government has proposed stringent measures against the spread of fake news, including a potential five-year jail term or a fine of up to Rs1 million for those found guilty. This proposal is part of an initial amendment draft to the cybercrime law aimed at effectively curbing online content that harms state interests.
The draft suggests significant changes to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, including the creation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) with powers to block or remove harmful online content.
The authority will be empowered to remove or block content targeting law enforcement agencies, state institutions, and will also tackle material promoting religious, ethnic hatred, terrorism, and anti-state propaganda.
These amendments are being introduced as the government intensifies its efforts to address the spread of fake news on social media, which it sees as a national security threat
