Dubai: The types of fake news disseminated on news channels and social media and the difference between misinformation and disinformation were among the issues discussed during the first session of the fourth Emirati Media Forum that began on Monday at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Hosted by Nart Bouran, CEO of Sky News Arabia, the discussion on ‘Fake News’ looked at the impact of false reporting and ways to counter it while focusing on the performance of the national media in the present time.
Bouran discussed the UAE’s media’s role in reaffirming the country’s firm positions on various regional and international issues and developments.
He referred to the concepts of misinformation and disinformation, highlighting the latter as an intentional act to spread [misleading] stories or views.
Meanwhile, he described misinformation as the type of fake news that is a result of agencies being misinformed about a particular event or breaking news.
“You can sometimes see misinformation by news outlets when one agency uses another source, usually a credible and well-known source, to publish a breaking story or event. If the facts published are wrong, then any outlet who referred to that source will also carry wrong information,” he said.
Bouran also referred to social media, pointing out its large role in spreading fake news.
“Media outlets and journalists need to avoid falling victim to fake news. We need to spread awareness about the types of fake news amongst media agencies, while social media channels should also take responsibility and place regulations to prevent the sharing and spreading of fake news,” he added.
