A new law in Pakistan aims to stop the spread of fake news, but many people worry it will hurt free speech.
The law was passed quickly and doesn’t clearly explain what defamation is. This means someone could be accused of defamation for simply criticizing the government. Also, the law makes it hard for the accused to defend themselves.
In the past, similar laws have been used to silence critics. Instead of this new law, Pakistan should focus on supporting real journalism and teaching people how to spot fake news online. Social media companies should also do more to take down fake news.
Working together, the government, journalists, educators, and social media companies can fight fake news without taking away people’s right to speak freely.