It is a reality that a sizable section of people does not know how to use the various social media platforms and facilities for good purposes. It is often seen that many people use – or rather misuse – social media platforms for short-term gains, for vilifying and causing harm to others, and to spread falsehood or misinformation. Likewise, many people have this habit of forwarding or sharing various kinds of posts of other people or sources without verifying the truth or facts, thus causing a lot of problems. In the current situation where India has taken a proactive stance against Pakistan-sponsored terrorists who have posed a challenge to national security, territorial integrity and sovereignty of India, it is even more important for citizens to take utmost care in using social media. In times of war – or like the present war-like situation, there is another kind of war being unleashed by the enemies. It is the information war. While one part of it is to influence the global narrative against India, the other part is to mislead and lure the common people to watch, believe and share falsehood spread through social media. Many people, out of curiosity, turn to social media to get what they believe is real-time updates on the situation. There is nothing like this. In such situations, it is expected of the citizens to follow what the government is saying. There is a daily official briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence. All else that is being dished out is either falsehood or imagination or conjecture. That is why the Ministry of Information Technology has on its part issued an advisory to the people. The list of ‘dos and don’ts’ issued by the ministry has the people to be vigilant and responsible. “Critical Online Safety Alert people always follow cyber-security precautions. Stay cautious while online—don’t fall for traps or misinformation. Be patriotic, stay vigilant, stay safe,” it has said. Its list of “dos” says – (i) Share only official advisories, helplines and verified relief updates, (ii) Fact-check news with official sources before sharing, and (iii) Report fake news immediately. Likewise, its list of “don’ts” says – (i) Don’t share troop movements, (ii) Don’t forward unverified information, and (iii) Avoid posts that may incite violence or communal tension.