“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” This famous quote by George Bernard Shaw throws me into some serious thinking, but all I can say is that it is more right than wrong. False knowledge is truly harmful and dangerous for society.
Particularly on social media in these recent years, there has been a dangerous trend of false information and fake news being spread across various platforms. The false information may even include false accusations of harassment, abuse, character defamation, and other sorts of dangerous allegations.
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There are hundreds of cases each year in Pakistan on behalf of genuine victims of harassment and other types of violence, whose voices would not otherwise be heard. The #MeToo movement has gained popularity because it brings attention to the prevalence of harassment and provides previously quiet victims a voice. While many of the claims are true, some are unfortunately false. Most of them do not take any legal recourse that challenges the credibility of allegations. Victim playing, on the other hand, is increasingly being used online to threaten, harass, and blackmail a victim for ulterior motives through social media. READ MORE