“UNVEILING THE EPIDEMIC OF FAKE NEWS IN PAKISTAN: A FRAMING THEORY ANALYSIS USING SKETCH ENGINE AND VOYANT TOOLS”

Abstract

Fake news has emerged as a widespread concern in Pakistan, affecting opinions of public, driving political clashes, and increasing propaganda on fundamental topics that range from healthcare to social issues. This article focuses on various samples of fake news that are collected from different social media platforms and search engines, emphasizing on how the misinformation is created and it’s impacts on Pakistani society. With the help of two different tools i.e. Sketch Engine and Voyant Tool, the paper identifies the most common themes, different strategies and tactics that are used in the fake news. The results highlight the need for fact-checking and various media literacy startups to fight the spread of misinformation.