Media organisations, independent journalists, and content creators have been warned against sharing “sensitive national security” information on social media amid rising geopolitical tensions between Pakistan and India.
According to a “high-priority” advisory released this week by the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (NCERT), the authority has stressed the need for “ethical information handling during this sensitive period”.
The diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries deteriorated rapidly following the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir, which took place on April 22 and killed 26 people. Majority of the victims were tourists.
“Recent monitoring indicates a significant uptick in the circulation of videos, images, and commentary revealing troop movements, military deployments, and sensitive national security activities across social media and public forums,” the NCERT says in its advisory.
According to the agency, disclosure of such information may critically compromise national security and facilitate hostile actions by adversaries. “In addition, there is an increased risk of misinformation, disinformation, and synthetic media (deepfakes) being deployed to manipulate narratives, create confusion, erode public trust, and escalate tensions.”
The agency has stated that sharing videos, images, mapping coordinates, terrain analysis, commentary revealing sensitive military deployments, command centers, logistical operations, or movements may benefit hostile forces. The NCERT has also advised against spreading mis-and-disinformation that could lead to widespread confusion, influencing of public opinion, and weakening of internal morale.
