Fake news is a huge problem in this new age of social media. Facts are often distorted and misconstrued. Some even go as far as to using it to their advantage to push a certain agenda.
The latest example is the currently trending Aima Baig and FHM Pakistan story. Let’s discuss.
Aima Baig and FHM Pakistan Situation; What Happened?
Aima Baig appeared on veteran actor Samina Peerzada’s extremely popular talk show ‘Rewind With Sameena Peerzada’ back in 2018. The Coke Studio singer talked about several topics regarding her life including her childhood.
A clip from this interview resurfaced recently and got taken out of context. In the video, Baig is asked about her first childhood crush. She responds by telling Sameena about her having a crush on her older brother’s friend. Here is the actual clip of what she said.
The clip when taken out of context, however, made it sound as if Aima had a crush on her own brother. This clip was then turned into a misleading headline by media news company FHM Pakistan which they posted on Instagram.
Aima Baig Responds
Baig immediately took to her Instagram Stories to express her disgust, calling out the publication for its “yellow journalism.”
She then went on to condemn their actions further when FHM denied her allegations. She also included a link to the actual clip which is shared above.
The Instagram post is still up on FHM Pakistan’s page, but the caption has since been edited which now clearly states that she had a crush on her brother’s friend.
This, however, was not enough for Aima. She shared a copy of a legal notice on Instagram which demanded the news company to pay Rs100 million for damages with a written apology within 48 hours.
The notice also mentioned the influence that a page like FHM Pakistan holds. They are considered a credible source which makes the fake news even more damaging.
When contacted, FHM Pakistan said it is preparing an official response through its legal team.
Our Verdict
This whole case teaches us a lesson of how easy it is to create and circulate seemingly credible fake news. Even the most harmless clip can be taken out of context and used for some heinous allegation.
Proper research and authenticity should always be paid more attention than sensationalism since stories like this can lead to careers being tarnished.
It is also worth noting that this legal notice may set a precedent which may lead to some dangerous ramifications. If news publications keep making such huge mistakes, what’s stopping those in power from completely taking away their voice? Hopefully this case is resolved soon, and lessons are learned because we will all be the better for it. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for any further updates regarding this story.
