Social media platforms have become much more popular in Pakistan, and this trend is expected to continue as the general public’s opinions are shaped in advance of the polls on February 8.
The nation’s political parties have been actively utilizing social media to expand their audience and share their message, but there is a chance that this could be abused.
Popular video-sharing website TikTok has released its “election integrity measures” in an effort to address this exact problem. The measures are available in both English and Urdu and provide reassurance about the strong measures the platform has put in place to combat hate speech, violence, and misinformation in accordance with the community guidelines.
Many elections throughout the world have been marred by disinformation and fake news, but the platform has guaranteed users that it would be eliminating false material regarding civic procedures, such as voter registration, candidate eligibility, ballot counting, and election outcomes.
TikTok has guaranteed that the site rigorously forbids content that intimidates voters, suppresses voting, or incites violence. The platform employs 40,000 people, all of whom are tasked with ensuring user safety through the use of cutting-edge technology while working with intelligence firms.
The platform collaborates with local and regional fact-checkers to help it consistently and accurately remove misinformation related to elections. Content that is being reviewed or deemed unsubstantiated is removed from the recommendation in the For You Feed and viewers and creators are notified.
“A key component of TikTok’s approach is the introduction of the Pakistan Election Center, which is accessible in both Urdu and English on the platform. This hub will point users in the direction of reliable election information, such as polling places and procedures.
“Recognising that global events often influence creative expression, TikTok remains dedicated to supporting its community in Pakistan and worldwide,” the statement stated.
Furthermore, because it has a different set of regulations for accounts that belong to a government, politician, or political party, the platform has enforced policies banning political marketing.
