Media council to stamp down on unregistered "news" websites

The Maldives Media Council (MMC) has decided to formulate a rule to strengthen action against unregistered websites operating under the guise of media outlets.

MMC said in a statement on Thursday that it is receiving many complaints from the public regarding such websites.

In its statement, the MMC warned that appropriate action will be taken as per law, rules and procedures against such websites and unregistered media outlets, which are spreading misinformation in the society in a manner that violates the rights of others.

The council's statement names three websites that are not registered as media outlets to spread untrue stories. The websites are:

The MMC said in a statement that it has been receiving a large number of complaints alleging that the three websites are spreading false information. The statement said that the MMC found much untrue information in their investigation. The council's decisions will be made public as the cases are investigated, the statement said.

The MMC said it was concerned that no action had been taken against those who were spreading false information in the name of the media.

"Therefore, the council has approved a regulation to develop a robust system to deal with cases of unregistered media outlets," the statement said.

The Media Council said it would work with the media, relevant associations, government agencies, institutions and the public in the coming days.

The MMC statement added: