PANAJI
Expressing concern over social media influencers’ “systematic attempts” to defame Goa, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte warned that the State government has already begun a crackdown on such content creators.
Speaking to reporters after hoisting the national flag in Mapusa on the occasion of Goa Liberation Day, the minister further called upon all stakeholders, including the media and the public, to collaborate in promoting the development of Goa’s tourism sector, stressing the need for collective efforts.
“Some social media influencers are trying to defame Goa through their videos. This looks like a strategy and systematic attempts by some elements to tarnish Goa’s image, but the government will not keep quiet on the issue. We have already begun a crackdown on such people who are coming down to Goa with a negative mindset,” he said.
The government has also been closely monitoring video content on Goa to ensure there’s no defamatory portrayal of the State.
Earlier this August, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced on the floor of the House that the government was considering taking action against social media influencers and users who ‘defame’ the State on social media.
He also directed the cyber cell to conduct an inquiry to look into such incidents.
In a recent post on Facebook, a social media influencer claimed that the presence of Russian women is one of the main attractions of Goa while another influencer posted that Ozran Beach is the ‘nude beach’.
One such post making fun of the tourism industry saw the woman influencer booked by the police.
