IGCF 2021: British politicians say conspiracy theories are a long-term challenge-News

Experts stated at the 10th International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) that lies spread faster than the truth, but today’s misinformation has spread to billions of people in a matter of seconds.

A group led by Philip Hammond, a British politician and member of the House of Lords; Dr. Fahed R. Alshelaimi, Chairman of the Middle East Strategy and Political Consultancy Center; Nat Burlan, CEO of the International Media Investment Corporation (IMI) Nart Bouran, hosted by the Arab host Nadim Koteich of Sky News, studies the ubiquitous conspiracy theories in the age of digital and social media.

The meeting held on Sunday at the Sharjah Expo Center not only discussed conspiracy theories from a political perspective, but also deeply analyzed the reality of conspiracy theories across sectors and their impact on the general public.

Hammond said that in the context of the pandemic and numerous anti-vaccine theories, misinformation has multiplied.

“This is an obvious threat that undermines science, truth, and government work, and damages public health to a large extent. The greater challenge is to cause the conspiracy theory’s public to lose their sense of power. This needs to be seen as immediate and Long-term challenges,” he said.

Bouran said that with nearly 5 billion users on the Internet today, social media and other digital media platforms see it as a digital game that drives business development. Therefore, the responsibility to control the dissemination of misinformation is a challenging task.

But Hammond said the solution is to establish an emotional connection with the people the government is trying to persuade, while providing well-researched facts and data.

Clear narratives and convincing arguments, raised by respected figures and influencers and backed by fact-based research, provide the most effective way to solve these problems.

Panelists emphasized that the best example is the 90% vaccination rate in the UAE, which is achieved through transparent government communication and provided by dedicated and respected health authorities and influencers.

Dr. Alshelaimi pointed out that in the face of ambiguity and the lack of clear and transparent information channels for the government, conspiracy theories prevail, adding that rapid and clear media responses, as well as research institutions and platforms can help solve this problem.

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Alshelaimi said that establishing transparency in the government and the media and providing the right tools for disseminating information to the public are the main ways to solve the problem.

“Establishing partnerships with trusted entities and public influencers to spread information should be a way to oppose conspiracy theories and be a major part of government communication efforts,” he added.

The panelists agreed that providing people with the necessary tools for critical and analytical thinking and helping them establish a critical approach to conspiracy theories is the key. Many countries use these methods to effectively deal with conspiracy theories.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

Avka Abdullah