Whether it’s WhatsApp, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, or news sites, Lebanese people increasingly consume information online. However, the many ways to obtain information increase the risk of encountering unconfirmed news or misinformation.
Disinformation about Syrian refugees, who have been the target of intense hate campaigns, has been particularly prominent recently. For example, in April, an image showing a police ID purportedly issued to a man of Syrian origin went viral, sparking racist comments online. The software used to detect the doctored photo later determined that the document was false.
“This was a fake card created thanks to photo-tampering software,” said Ghadir Hammadi, co-founder of Sawab, a United Nations Development Program funding platform dedicated to combating disinformation in Lebanon. Told. “There is a lot of fake news that affects marginalized groups in Lebanese society, including Syrian refugees.”
Founded by six journalists trained in fact-checking and anti-hate speech, Sawab primarily combats misinformation on WhatsApp. “We started working on a messaging app because people use messaging apps a lot and forward news to their friends and family throughout the day.We created our own groups on WhatsApp and We searched for misinformation,” Hamadi said.
Lebanese disinformation
One of the most popular forms of disinformation in Lebanon is a false story related to the ongoing economic crisis that began in 2019. Disinformation is fueled by fear above all else,” Hamadi said.
Another common topic on which disinformation is spread in Lebanon is politics, said Jad Shaloul, communications officer at the Skeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom. “Lebanese society is very concerned about this issue,” he said. [different] version. ”
A study published by SKEyes in March showed that disinformation is infiltrating “traditional” sources such as social media, alternative media and television across Lebanon. “Every generation has a social media platform, but misinformation is everywhere. Gen Z is on TikTok, and Millennials are on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Impact of Disinformation and Fake News varies by platform, but it’s definitely present on all sites,” Challeur said.
[Young people] Even if you belong to a particular political party, know that to really understand what’s going on you have to tune in to a few channels or browse a few sites. “There are,” Challeur said. Question the information they receive. ”
The study shows that some people tend to believe information disseminated by local religious figures, which are considered trustworthy, especially in remote areas, instead of information published by reliable news outlets. There is.
Of particular concern, Challeur said, was the presence of an organized “electronic army” online.[They are] “It is being deployed by certain major Lebanese political groups that work to incite cult-related conflicts and damage the reputation of the opposition,” he said, adding that they use fictitious social media accounts to do so. He added that they tend to use it.
Learn how to spot misinformation
Faced with this multifaceted manifestation of disinformation, Sawab launched a training course to provide students with best practices on how to spot disinformation in schools and universities.
“We teach children to use reverse search engines to find photos and videos. For example, in photos, we can find clues about when and where an event happened. The same goes for videos,” Hamadi said. You can also check the veracity of the information by contacting local authorities and people on the ground. ”
Photo by Christelle Hayek via Unsplash.
This article originally appeared on IJNet French. It was translated into English by Cedera Lanaivo Alinosy.