If misleading the public used to be the domain of some media personalities in the past, today the ease with which news can be disseminated, through social networking sites and other Internet platforms, anybody has a platform through which to disseminate all sorts of information, not all true and some outright damaging.
And while for some time the impact of fabricated messages and photographs was underestimated, the public is becoming increasingly aware of the extent to which social media "news" can influence or turn public opinion, often with harmful outcome.
A more recent example is that of US presidential election, where some doctored “studies” have been found to have attempted to influence voters’ choice; one widespread doctored news item was of Pope Francis allegedly expressing support for Republican candidate Donald Trump, which seems to have affected some Catholic voters.
These media platforms are extremely dangerous when they spread false information, incitement and racism. They are much more damaging than old-time tales and much more spread due to modern technology.
Mark Zuckerberg, chairman, CEO and co-creator of Facebook, one of the world’s most important social networking platforms, promised that his company would come up with a solution to this problem, apparently a button that enables one to report fake news.
But what about Twitter and WhatsApp? Spreading false news was part of the entertainment industry, and we thought it was practiced in countries where mass media did not enjoy much credibility. Unfortunately, it has become a widespread epidemic around the world, infecting the educated, the ignorant, the intelligent, the stupid, communities with multiple or few mass media alike.
The Facebook chairman said the percentage of lies on Facebook is one percent. It is difficult to believe such a claim.
While statistics are lacking, seeing the large number of news from unreliable sources that reaches people through social networking sites must be much more.
Despite repeated official attempts to make the public aware of the existence of sham news, urging people to not believe everything they read, but double check facts, false information continues to be sent and peddled as real stories, with many people falling victim to those reports.
Those wishing to spread such information have honed their skilled in lying and perfected their power of persuasion, often making people believe that their messages are real.
Talk about injustice or conspiracies, character assassination and false stories intended to shape public opinion have become a source of major concern for governments, institutions and individuals.
Unfortunately, regulating social media networks, holding it to account for every misleading or harming item of information will take some time, especially now, when any such attempt can be branded as muzzling freedom of expression.
Credibility is the most important thing in the media. Fortunately there are still media outlets that have earned and enjoy people's trust, such as the BBC, with which people in our part of the world have been familiar since the middle of the last century. But the collapse of the old world media system has resulted in chaos and the spread of news that is often false, with impunity. Still, if they wish to make a mark for themselves, media outlets will have to be credible and professional.
Truth must be told, whatever it takes. But media professionals and amateurs alike must be made to understand that truth is universal, not fabricated to suit anybody’s interest or satisfy a sick personality.
Eventually, it is professionalism and credibility that make a mass medium outstanding and earns the wider public’s respect.
• Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is a veteran journalist and internationally acclaimed columnist. He is the former general manager of Al Arabiya news channel and ex-editor in chief of Asharq Al-Awsat.
* Originally published in Asharq Al-Awsat
And while for some time the impact of fabricated messages and photographs was underestimated, the public is becoming increasingly aware of the extent to which social media "news" can influence or turn public opinion, often with harmful outcome.
A more recent example is that of US presidential election, where some doctored “studies” have been found to have attempted to influence voters’ choice; one widespread doctored news item was of Pope Francis allegedly expressing support for Republican candidate Donald Trump, which seems to have affected some Catholic voters.
These media platforms are extremely dangerous when they spread false information, incitement and racism. They are much more damaging than old-time tales and much more spread due to modern technology.
Mark Zuckerberg, chairman, CEO and co-creator of Facebook, one of the world’s most important social networking platforms, promised that his company would come up with a solution to this problem, apparently a button that enables one to report fake news.
But what about Twitter and WhatsApp? Spreading false news was part of the entertainment industry, and we thought it was practiced in countries where mass media did not enjoy much credibility. Unfortunately, it has become a widespread epidemic around the world, infecting the educated, the ignorant, the intelligent, the stupid, communities with multiple or few mass media alike.
The Facebook chairman said the percentage of lies on Facebook is one percent. It is difficult to believe such a claim.
While statistics are lacking, seeing the large number of news from unreliable sources that reaches people through social networking sites must be much more.
Despite repeated official attempts to make the public aware of the existence of sham news, urging people to not believe everything they read, but double check facts, false information continues to be sent and peddled as real stories, with many people falling victim to those reports.
Those wishing to spread such information have honed their skilled in lying and perfected their power of persuasion, often making people believe that their messages are real.
Talk about injustice or conspiracies, character assassination and false stories intended to shape public opinion have become a source of major concern for governments, institutions and individuals.
Unfortunately, regulating social media networks, holding it to account for every misleading or harming item of information will take some time, especially now, when any such attempt can be branded as muzzling freedom of expression.
Credibility is the most important thing in the media. Fortunately there are still media outlets that have earned and enjoy people's trust, such as the BBC, with which people in our part of the world have been familiar since the middle of the last century. But the collapse of the old world media system has resulted in chaos and the spread of news that is often false, with impunity. Still, if they wish to make a mark for themselves, media outlets will have to be credible and professional.
Truth must be told, whatever it takes. But media professionals and amateurs alike must be made to understand that truth is universal, not fabricated to suit anybody’s interest or satisfy a sick personality.
Eventually, it is professionalism and credibility that make a mass medium outstanding and earns the wider public’s respect.
• Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is a veteran journalist and internationally acclaimed columnist. He is the former general manager of Al Arabiya news channel and ex-editor in chief of Asharq Al-Awsat.
* Originally published in Asharq Al-Awsat
