IPRI launches its digital forensic arm ‘G5 Internet Observatory’

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) has launched its digital forensic arm “G5 Internet Observatory (G5iO)”.

The launch was done at the sidelines of the webinar “Mapping Disinformation in the Digital Age” on May 19.

As a digital arm of IPRI, the G5 Internet Observatory will map the digital space, track disinformation including hateful content, and collaborate with global think tanks & social media companies to make social media a safer and more productive platform for engagement.

The webinar was an attempt to explore trends of disinformation and discuss the policy-making designed to combat it.

While launching IPRI’s G5 Internet Observatory, Dr Hussain Nadim, Executive Director, IPRI, shared that with @G5iO_, IPRI would like understand the social media space, & partner/ collaborate with @Facebook & other social media platforms, for ethical & good use of social media. pic.twitter.com/9qdT9L3aei

— Islamabad Policy Research Institute (@IPRI_Pak) May 19, 2021

Speaking on the government’s response to disinformation, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Digital Media Dr. Arslan Khalid said there are no organized campaigns on social media by the government.

Dr. Arslan Khalid also commented that social media companies are at times biased towards countries such as Pakistan in terms of censorship and projection of certain narratives.

Commenting on how public behaviors and decision-making are affected by disinformation, the Resident Senior Fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council Emerson T. Brookings noted that social media companies are not discriminatory but rather inherently reactionary.

“It is a result of decisions made as these platforms are ultimately businesses,” Emerson T. Brookings said.

The panel also discussed whether legislation or digital literacy is important to curb disinformation.

The Head of Communications at TabadLab Amber Rahim Shamsi shared that one of the ways to ensure social media rules are being regulated is by engagement with social media companies.

Amber Rahim Shamsi added, “A good way to keep a check on disinformation by groups would be to strengthen the consequences of liability.”

Emerson T. Brookings articulated that it is not the government’s role to legislate on specific content and thus rights of the victims should be stressed upon.