Member of Parliament (MP) for Akuapem North, Hon. Sammi Awuku, has cautioned against faceless persons hiding behind social media to peddle falsehoods.
Though an advocate of freedom of speech, he advised that social media users must not abuse that freedom by deliberately circulating unverified claims that damage the reputations of public officials.
Reacting to the claim of being arrested and detained by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the former NPP National Organiser on UTV vehemently denied having been arrested or invited by EOCO and urged the public to verify information before sharing it online.
“I have not been invited and I am not under investigation,” he stated, adding that “I am a defender of free speech and I have said it on this platform that the only way to confront hate speech is with more speech.”
According to him, people who come across reports about public officials should take the necessary steps to establish their authenticity before sharing them.
“My advice to the young people who share such news is that there is nothing wrong with finding out and cross-checking, but when it becomes deliberate, it becomes a problem,” he stated.
Sammi Awuku said the proliferation of false reports about public figures could have serious consequences for their reputations, particularly when such claims are presented as facts.
He therefore urged social media users to exercise greater responsibility when reporting or sharing allegations involving individuals.
