Fake News & Digital Education: Fighting Misinformation

“It’s not a journalist who decides what you see. It’s an algorithm trained to hold your attention. It’s all the phenoleads digital bubbles and micro targeting that arises for us,” declared Narjis Rerhaye, member of the High Council for Audiovisual Communication on the occasion of the meeting dedicated to the “Fight against fakenews: crossed perspectives and approaches”, recently organized in Rabat by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication.

Exhibitor of key figures to understand the extent and consequences of the phenomenonMme Rerhaye Who is also President of the “Regulation and digital media” working group »a reminded that according to Massachusetts Institut of Technology (WITH) lfalse information is spreading 6 times faster only the real ones on Twitter that the fake news ont 70% more likely to be retweeted. In this regard, it should be emphasized that according to Reuters Institure Digital News Report « 59 % of global internet users say they have been exposed to misinformation online in 2023 », added Ms. Rerhaye.

For the speakerif disinformation is ranked 1is short-term global risk by the World Economic Forum, elle fromgilise as well trust in institutions what social cohesion et electoral processes.

“Fake news is not dangerous only because she is false et product distrust and manipulation, but also because it modifies behavior and shapes others representations, » stated the member you CSCA while specifying that trust in the media classic audiovisuals and traditional is essential.

« When a traditional media relays a information falsethe correction rate read is less than 30%. The first versionthat is to say false information remains the most memorized . The correction exists but false information has already won the battle of attention».

+ Tomorrow, it will no longer be “is it true?”, but “is it real?” » And tomorrow is already today » +

In Morocco, a country which is exposed to circulation and sharing of fake news, dThe investigations carried out by the HCP and the ANRT reveal what WhatsApp, Youtube et Facebook are the main unverified sources of information for a large part of the Moroccan population. “At home, as elsewhere, the algorithm amplifies falsehood and favors content that generates anger and fear,” noted Ms. Rerhaye All referring to the fact that lThese platforms favorengagementnot truthfulness.

All over the world, the fight against les fake news is a long and difficult road. There is no miracle recipe. “ Repression alone is counter-productive. The approach purely criminal has shown its limits because reactive, tardive et difficult to apply on a numerical scale not to mention the rand about the perception of liberticide » a dit the member of the higher council of audiovisual communication.

Digital education is crucial and the role of linear audiovisual media is important in the fight against les fake news.

In this sense, acall was launched by the speaker for the introduction on television and radio of fixed sections dedicated to the deconstruction of false information is an emergency.

A few months before the legislative election meeting, Narjis Rerhaye warns against AI and deep fakes. « According to Europol l’Agence European criminal police 90% of content online could be generated or modified by AI by 2026,” adding that les deepfakes have increased by 700% in one year in fraud attempts.

“Tomorrow it will no longer be “is it true?”, but “is it real?” » And tomorrow is already today » a conclu Mme Rerhaye.

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