‘Spreading strife, confusion will not be allowed’

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 29: A government source revealed new strict measures to deal with fake accounts and pursue those who provoke strife and confusion through social media, without prejudice to freedoms, reports Al-Qabas daily. He stressed that the government, represented by its concerned agencies, has started monitoring many fake accounts that have been spreading malicious rumors, disseminating false information, and exposing symbols of the state and the judiciary, indicating that they will be systematically confronted during the next stage.

The source highlighted the intensive ongoing coordination among the Cybercrime Department, the Central Agency for Information Technology and the Communications Authority to monitor those responsible for the suspicious accounts and manage them, and address their rumors. He affirmed the keenness of the government to preserve people’s dignity, protect them from extortion and defamation, apply the cybercrime laws to protect national unity, and curb defamation, which has become an essential feature of some fake accounts.

The source explained that government measures include monitoring malicious “hashtags” and monitoring their broadcast sites. All state agencies will be stressed once again to respond to rumors and activate the role of official spokespersons in state agencies, and not limit the response to the government communication center only. Government’s directives to the relevant state agencies stress not to prejudice freedoms, and not tolerate those who provoke strife. As part of the ongoing efforts to protect national unity and prosecute seditionists, a government source revealed strict new measures to confront fake accounts and prosecute troublemakers through social media, without prejudice to freedoms.

The source revealed higher directives to the state agencies not to underestimate the rights of the admins of these fake accounts, to work on exposing them and take legal measures against them, after the increasing broadcast of false information aimed at defaming others and causing confusion and questioning personalities through a systematic campaign. He reaffirmed that the government issued strict directives to take the necessary measures to preserve people’s dignity, not defame them, protect them from extortion through social media and others, and apply cybercrime laws to prevent any prejudice to national unity.

The source pointed out the intensive round-the-clock coordination that takes place between the competent state authorities to implement the law against violators and professionals spreading rumors with the aim of destabilizing the situation and distorting the image of personalities and symbols. He stressed that the fake accounts and those behind them will be exposed and they will be referred to the concerned authorities without complacency in this regard. The source touched on the advanced mechanisms of the concerned authorities to “monitor fake accounts that spread their poison for hidden goals and purposes that harm the interest of the country”.