An impostor Twitter handle with the same display picture, title and information used on the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Fake News Buster account on Twitter has emerged on the social media platform, just days after the government launched its own account.
However, the government was quick to issue a clarification which read, “Please beware that @FakeNewsBuster_ is a fake account. The official account is @FakeNews_Buster which can be verified from the official website of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.”
The tweet added that “the case is being referred to NR3C for further necessary action.”
Please beware that @FakeNewsBuster_ is a fake account. The official account is @FakeNews_Buster which can be verified from the official website of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.The case is being referred to NR3C for further necessary action. https://t.co/hF8KvdGMcG. pic.twitter.com/IsZFxIX9Mu
— FakeNewsBusterMoIB (@FakeNews_Buster) October 2, 2018
The minsitry followed up with another tweet which stated: “Any attempt to fabricate official twitter account @FakeNews_Buster of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting shall be reported to National Response Centre For Cyber Crime (NR3C) of FIA for appropriate legal action.”
Any attempt to fabricate official twitter account @FakeNews_Buster of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting shall be reported to National Response Centre For Cyber Crime (NR3C) of FIA for appropriate legal action.
— FakeNewsBusterMoIB (@FakeNews_Buster) October 2, 2018
Compared to the original account which has 22,000 followers so far, the impostor one has a little more than 500 followers.
Social media users can identify the fake account through its description that reads: “Twitter Handle of Ministry of Interior & BroadCoasting for Exposing #FakeNews”. The misspell in ‘broadcasting’ gives away the fake account as does the usage of ‘Ministry of Interior’ instead of the ‘Ministry of Information.’
Interestingly, the account’s date of joining Twitter is listed as June 2018, which makes it likely that the account’s name was recently changed.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting recently launched a social media account to deal with fake news that has become the biggest challenge for the age of information.
As per the details, the information ministry has created an official Twitter handle – Fake News Buster MoIB (@FakeNews_Buster) – to “expose propaganda” aimed at defaming the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
The handle will be available for social media users to contact when in need to verify any news making rounds over the internet. It will also keep a check on any information trending over social media and aware the masses of its authenticity.
The step has been taken in view of several news items that went viral over the internet, but later turned out to be fake.
