Sharjah 24: The inaugural session of the IGCF titled " How to break the hold of conspiracy theories?" hosted Dr. Fahad Al-Shulaimi, President of the Middle East Centre for Political and Strategic Consulting; Lord Philip Hammond, member of the House of Lords in the U.K., and Nart Buran, CEO of the International Holding Company for Investments. The session was moderated by Nadim Kotaish, a journalist and media person at Sky News Arabia.
The speakers emphasised that social media platforms and the speed with which information is transmitted have directly contributed to the spread of conspiracy theory and its impact on various aspects of life, in addition to the public's sense of alienation and lack of clarity regarding information transmission, which creates a fertile environment and an imminent danger.
The speakers unanimously agreed that confronting conspiracy theories needs practical strategies, represented in winning the battle of hearts, not just minds, by presenting facts in an attractive way that addresses feelings, in addition to understanding the mechanism of conspiracy theories, borrowing some of the means by which promoters of that theory work to be used in refuting them, and developing educational curricula and the critical mind of the public, to enable it, in a discreet way, to believe the facts and reject any incorrect theories, and finally, to develop effective partnerships between governments and influencers, that work to enhance trust and transparency between the public and official bodies.
Dr. Fahd Al-Shulaimi explained that a lack of foresight for problems and crises, as well as an inability to predict the future and a lack of planning, all contribute directly to the strengthening and spread of conspiracy theories, and that government agencies must work to improve aspects of trust with the public through transparency and clarity. Prompt disclosure of information from the start, to avert any interpretations intended to proliferate and spread rumours.
Lord Philip Hammond emphasised during the session that those considered more susceptible to conspiracy theories have a particular mentality that adheres to a particular methodology, which must be addressed using the same methodology, noting that education and the promotion of critical thinking through the examination of facts aid in confronting any false rumours.
Nart Buran pointed out that one of the most important reasons for the spread of conspiracy theory lies in social media platforms, specifically that most of them are built on commercial foundations, as they are not prepared to play the role of real journalism, stressing the re-establishment of journalism foundations and ethics to be able to deal with the challenges of the year 2021, Media institutions have a responsible role in confronting the conspiracy theory, explaining that government performance plays a role in influencing these media through transparency, clarity and speed of providing real information.
Nart Buran stated that one of the primary reasons for the spread of conspiracy theories is due to social media platforms, specifically the fact that the majority of them are built on commercial foundations and are therefore unprepared to play the role of true journalism, emphasising the importance of re-establishing journalism foundations and ethics in order to meet 2021 challenges. Media institutions have a responsibility to challenge the conspiracy idea by demonstrating how government performance influences media through transparency, clarity, and the speed with which genuine information is provided.
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