AI, social media fueling new wave of disinformation, warn speakers at AJCONF

February 8, 2026

Muhammad Junaid

Lahore

Artificial intelligence and social media are reshaping the information landscape at an unprecedented pace, panelists warned at the 6th Asma Jahangir Conference on Sunday, cautioning that without rights-based regulation, digital literacy and accountability, the new technologies could further deepen disinformation and censorship.

The session, titled “AI and Social Media: The New Face of Disinformation,” was moderated by digital rights activist and Bolo Bhi Director Usama Khilji. Speakers included H.E. Wim Geerts, Human Rights Ambassador for the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Dr Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, an artificial intelligence professional and the founder of Rise Networks and Rise Interactive Studios, Nigeria; Olivier Mailloux, lawyer of the Marseille Bar Association, France; Asad Baig, co-founder of Media Matters for Democracy; and Niha Dagia, Executive Producer and Editor of Dawn News English.

The speakers stressed that all social media regulation must be developed through an inclusive, multi-stakeholder process, respect fundamental rights, and end the criminalization of speech, including provisions relating to “false information” under Sections 9, 10, 11, 20 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). It also called for the introduction of media and digital literacy programmes within educational curricula.

Concerns over Peca and global regulation models

H.E. Wim Geerts said freedom of expression was central to the Netherlands’ foreign policy and expressed concern over the implementation of Peca in Pakistan.

“We are concerned about Peca,” he said, noting that while countering disinformation was necessary, it must be done in line with human rights standards.

Referring to European regulatory efforts, he said the European Union had introduced new digital legislation requiring enforcement by companies. “The European Union has introduced the Digital Security Act, and companies must ensure its enforcement,” he said, stressing that technology firms also bore responsibility in limiting the spread of harmful content.

He observed that while AI held transformative potential, it was simultaneously becoming a tool for spreading false information. Adopting effective strategies to counter AI-driven disinformation, he said, had become a major challenge for governments worldwide.

H. E. Wim Geerts, Human Rights Ambassador for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, explains that AI technologies are eroding trust in online content. The EU has adopted the Digital Services Act, which requires large social media platforms to moderate content, establish a transparency… pic.twitter.com/Tn9607NN7X

— Voicepk.net (@voicepkdotnet) February 8, 2026

Extending fundamental rights to the digital sphere

Olivier Mailloux argued that fundamental rights must evolve alongside technology.

“Fundamental rights should be extended to include digital rights. New rights should be introduced. We face excessive censorship,” he said, warning that regulatory responses to disinformation must not come at the cost of civil liberties.

At the same time, he emphasised the need for action against harmful content online. “Fake accounts, fake content and disinformation must be taken down, and action should be taken. It is tough, but the government must take it seriously,” he said.

Mailloux underlined the importance of early education in tackling propaganda and manipulation. “We should teach in schools to raise awareness about propaganda. AI education is necessary to help children understand, use and responsibly apply technology, and to identify fake content,” he said.

Fake accounts, fake content, and disinformation must be taken down, and action should be taken. It is tough, but the government must take it seriously
Olivier Mailloux
Lawyer of the Marseille Bar Association, France@wjpgeerts@NLinPakistan#AJConf pic.twitter.com/h63fA8tgKy

— Voicepk.net (@voicepkdotnet) February 8, 2026

Literacy gaps and the Global South experience

Drawing on the Nigerian context, Dr Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji highlighted the gap between access to AI tools and public understanding of them.

“There is a lack of media literacy. I will give the example of Nigeria, where people are using AI but do not fully understand it,” she said, stressing the need to formally teach students how AI works and how propaganda and AI-generated content can be identified.

She argued that AI education was critical for development, but only if accompanied by ethical awareness and critical thinking skills.

Many people are using AI without realizing it. Younger generations use social media constantly, posting all the time. We must guide them to use AI in a better and responsible way
Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji
Artificial Intelligence for Development Professional, Nigeria#AJConf pic.twitter.com/6pyfsmmL9u

— Voicepk.net (@voicepkdotnet) February 8, 2026

From online abuse to real-world harm

Asad Baig provided what he described as a rapid overview of AI abuse and its potential to incite real-world violence. “AI is now being used for disinformation, the recent elections in Bangladesh are a major example,” he said, warning that synthetic content and coordinated campaigns could undermine democratic processes.

He stressed that as AI tools became more accessible, the responsibility of fact-checkers and independent media organisations had increased significantly.

AI-generated disinformation, he cautioned, was not merely a digital problem but one that could have tangible social and political consequences.

Responding to a question by academic and digital rights activist Iram Sultanah about ways to prevent data theft, Asad Baig said that any kind of criminalisation of speech or banning of platforms does not work and is, in fact, extremely counterproductive. Instead, he stressed that platform accountability is more effective, adding that responsible reporting and the media’s role in highlighting such issues are crucial.

Newsrooms under pressure

Niha Dagia described the growing strain AI-generated content was placing on newsrooms, particularly during major political events.

“There are noticeable spikes in AI-generated content reaching newsrooms, typically coinciding with major events and almost always associated with political parties,” she said.

She pointed out the asymmetry between the speed of misinformation and the time required for verification. “Verification takes time, while fake content goes viral instantly. We go for fact-checking, but it requires time. Sometimes even we are left wondering whether the content is real or fake,” she said.

Dagia also identified WhatsApp as a primary channel for the spread of misinformation, noting that its encrypted nature limited oversight. Even when users recognised content as false, she said, it was often forwarded for various reasons, further accelerating its reach.

Engagement with AI-generated content, she added, was “insane”, often running into the millions, because such material was crafted to show audiences exactly what they wanted to see.

Session resolutions

In its concluding recommendations, the session called for social media regulation to be rights-respecting, transparent and participatory, rather than punitive. It urged the government to end the criminalisation of speech under various provisions of PECA and instead engage social media platforms while holding them accountable to international human rights standards.

The session further emphasised the urgent need to incorporate media and digital literacy into school curricula to equip future generations with the skills to identify propaganda, verify information and responsibly engage with emerging technologies.