{"id":24493,"date":"2024-08-02T07:48:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-02T07:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediterraneanday.com\/?post_type=hero&p=24493"},"modified":"2024-10-18T12:44:08","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T12:44:08","slug":"saja-mortada","status":"publish","type":"hero","link":"https:\/\/mediterraneanday.com\/es\/hero\/saja-mortada","title":{"rendered":"Saja Mortada"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Disinformation and misinformation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The spread of disinformation and misinformation poses a challenge to informed decision-making and social cohesion in the Mediterranean, eroding trust and sowing discord. We must arm ourselves with knowledge and vigilance to combat the spread of falsehoods<\/span> by promoting media literacy, fact-checking, and transparency when disseminating information.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Saja Mortada<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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For the past four years, investigative journalist Saja Murtada has been waking up in her home with a crucial mission: combat media disinformation in the Arab region.<\/strong><\/p>

Saja brings over a decade of experience in media coverage and investigative journalism with leading Lebanese and international institutions, along with continuous academic pursuits and a deep passion for journalistic and research work.<\/strong><\/p>

She manages the Arab Network for Fact-Checkers<\/strong><\/a> (AFCN)<\/strong>, coordinated by the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism<\/strong><\/a> (ARIJ) <\/b>network. The AFCN was established at the end of 2020 following the fake news campaigns that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the AFCN has been supporting institutions and independent fact-checkers in sixteen Arab countries by developing skills, providing protection, networking, and fostering innovation. It currently includes forty-one institutions or initiatives and over two hundred and fifty fact-checkers, reaching millions of readers in the Arabic-speaking world.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u201cI use the term combating disinformation, not eliminating it, because we will never be able to end the spread of false or misleading information. It will always exist as long as there are individuals and entities working for their own interests. What we can do is reduce the spread of this disinformation and its impact on people as much as possible.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Challenges of Fact-Checking in the Digital Age<\/strong><\/p>

Fact-checking is not new to journalistic practices<\/a>, but it was long confined to newsroom production and publishing. Today, with the spread of social media, the expansion of \u201ccitizen journalism\u201d (news publishing by non-professional journalists), and the advent of AI and deepfake tools, fact-checking has become a \u201cdaily task in all spaces\u201d that ordinary readers cannot easily manage, as Saja mentioned during our meeting.<\/p>

Fake news and disinformation are considered a \u201cclear and present global threat,\u201d according to UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres\u2019 report<\/a>, as they contribute to spreading hatred, misleading public opinion, deepening polarization, threatening democratic structures and human rights, and undermining public health policies and knowledge about climate change.<\/p>

Many analysts theorize<\/a> about the \u201cpost-truth era\u201d that many societies around the world and the Arab region are experiencing.The term refers to when society\u2019s engagement with fundamental issues shifts from facts<\/em> to judgments based on emotions<\/em> or personal beliefs<\/em>. Disinformation plays a crucial role in this shift, as it exploits people\u2019s fears and emotions to achieve specific goals.<\/p>

The Story of the Arab Network for Fact-Checkers<\/strong><\/p>

Following the disinformation campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic, Saja told us that the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism network conducted numerous studies on the state of fact-checking in the Arab region compared to international experiences. \u201cBased on these studies and conclusions, which highlighted the needs and challenges, we realized the necessity of establishing the AFCN to support and develop fact-checking institutions and practitioners and contribute to expanding the field in the Arab world,\u201d<\/em> Saja described.<\/p>

After regional and international reviews, the network established a code of principles<\/a><\/strong> that members, both institutions and individuals, must adhere to as a condition of membership. The code outlines the professional and ethical foundations of fact-checking, such as fairness, objectivity, respect for intellectual property, and cooperation. The network also requires member institutions to be transparent about their funding (if not publicly disclosed, they must disclose it to the network\u2019s management) and maintain independence in managing journalistic work.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Services of the Arab Network for Fact-Checkers<\/strong><\/p>

The services provided by the AFCN encompass four main areas: skill development, protection, networking, and innovation.<\/p>