LAHORE: Punjab University has awarded a PhD degree in Communication Studies to Hafsa Javed, recognizing her research on "News Verification and Sharing Behavior of Social Media Users in Pakistan." Her work, supervised by Prof Dr. Bushra Hameed Rahman, highlights significant challenges and behaviors of social media users in the region regarding news verification.

According to University of the Punjab, the public defense of Dr. Hafsa Javed's dissertation was held at the Punjab University School of Communication Studies. The event was attended by notable academics and professionals, including Prof Dr. Abida Ashraf, Prof Dr. Savera Shami, Dr. Ayesha Ashfaq, and Dr. Madiha Maqsood. The external examiners, Prof Dr. Zahid Yousaf and Dr. Zaeem Yasin, emphasized the relevance of the research in today's digital landscape, particularly its insights into the challenges of politically motivated misinformation and the accessibility of credible sources.

Dr. Hafsa's study also sheds light on the psychological factors that affect how users verify news. In her current role as Deputy Director at the Directorate General Public Relations, Government of the Punjab, Dr. Hafsa is well-positioned to apply her findings. The event concluded with a celebration, where faculty members and attendees marked the occasion by cutting a cake.