KARACHI: Speakers in social media influencer conference have said that do not cross the line for sale the content. Influencers should maintain responsible behavior towards society. Most of time because of heavy fellow of information, social media influencer are spreading disinformation.
Number of views matters, but more important is fact check. Social Media influencer should form code of ethics and implement, governments will introduce strict laws to curb freedom of speech otherwise.
Governments should come forward to educate social media influencers, rather than slow down net speed and imposing a ban on social media platforms.
While speaking in a one day conference on “Social Media Influencer, ethics of authenticity and production of content” organized by Women Media Center (WMC), Pakistan, with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Washington-DC. The conference brought together leading journalists, social media influencers, and digital media experts to discuss the growing influence of social media and the pressing need for ethical guidelines in content creation.
Fouzia Shaheen, Executive director WMC while opening the conference have said according to data there are 71.70 million active social media users in Pakistan which it 29.5% of total population of the country. “YouTube is Pakistan’s most-used social media platform in 2024 with a potential ad audience of 71.70 million. The YouTube audience is 64.6% of total internet users (111.0 Million) in Pakistan & 29.5% of the total population (242.8 Million) in Pakistan.” She said.
While giving data Fouzia Shaheen further revealed that in Pakistan, 68.41% of web traffic by the device is through mobile phones. While 30.74% of web traffic is from laptops & desktop computers. “This is a huge number, there is need to educate social media influencers, rather imposing a ban. We have to started dialogue with social media influencer as to form a code of ethics, create positive role in the society.” She added, saying that different of opinion was not issue, but important thing that the way we are behaving, giving importance to facts.
On the occasion Wusat Ullah Khan, a veteran journalist, columnist, and host of the popular talk show Zara Hat Kay, set the tone for the conference by highlighting the ethical challenges posed by the rapid growth of social media. He stressed that “social media users must responsibly create their content. Ethics are being challenged by ‘cash for views,’ clicks, and thumbnails. People have become accustomed to consuming content without considering long-form research or ethical values. We need to establish a code of conduct, and it’s essential that influencers and media figures guide the public towards content that is backed by research, evidence, and ethical standards.”
Khan also noted the role of advertising in shaping social media behaviors, stating, “Advertisements are the biggest influencers. While ads can be regulated, in Pakistan, even that doesn’t happen. For instance, car and food advertisements often operate irresponsibly in lower-income societies.” He further remarked that government censorship is “another form of misinformation.”
Asad Ijaz, a emerging podcaster and social media influencer, addressed the segmented nature of social media audiences. “Content today is curated by algorithms, which only show users what they want to see. It’s our responsibility, as content creators, to provide accurate and reliable information to our followers. Only then can we combat misinformation and build trust.”
Manzar Ilahi, the head of Geo Digital, touched on the challenges posed by the overwhelming flow of information on digital platforms. “Misinformation and disinformation are major issues, and with so much information circulating, even we often fall victim to it. However, at Geo Digital, we’ve worked hard on capacity building and training, with a focus on fact-checking. This is essential in ensuring the credibility of our news.” Ilahi also pointed out that serious content still has a place in the social media algorithm, though it requires adherence to certain principles.
Faheem Siddiqui, a seasoned journalist and Digital content creator, shared his journey of re-entering the world of content creation. “We live in a ‘social world’ now. After leaving Geo in 2016, I briefly ventured into content creation but soon realized it wasn’t for me. However, I recently started again, and within three months, my YouTube channel gained 10,000 subscribers. The reason is simple: I talk about public issues. As a creator, if you want to be heard, you need to address public concerns.” Siddiqui emphasized the difficulty in establishing ethical principles for social media content but stressed the importance of doing so to avoid misinformation and disinformation. He cited a recent viral video in the Natasha case as a prime example of how easily misinformation can spread.
Mania Shakeel, a correspondent for DW Urdu, emphasized the importance of strict journalistic standards in international media. “In international journalism, we have a robust code of conduct. We are trained to ensure that our news doesn’t fall into the categories of misinformation or disinformation. There’s no such thing as breaking news—better late but accurate. This is something that’s sorely lacking in the Pakistani media landscape, especially on social media.”
Mahem, a content creator and TikToker, discussed the rising influence of short-form videos. “As an influencer, I believe short videos have the most impact. A large audience prefers consuming brief content, especially entertainment. However, I’ve noticed that over the past year, serious content based on research and evidence is gaining traction. This is why I now focus on highlighting public issues in my content.”
Tariq Mateen, anchor and reporter, concluded with a reflection on the growing importance of digital media. He said, “Digital media is a reality. Over the past decade, we have seen it surpass conventional media. Now, even all the news aired on TV is essentially recalled from social media.
However, conventional media maintains a certain attitude towards digital media. While the people working in TV acknowledge the importance of digital media, they seem reluctant to fully understand it or give space to independent journalists working in the digital sphere. In my opinion, channels are operating with a very narrow mindset.”
The conference concluded with a consensus on the urgent need for ethical guidelines in the digital age, where social media influencers wield tremendous power.
The panelists called for greater responsibility in content creation and emphasized the role of influencers in shaping public discourse.