National Media Office organises 'Media and National Responsibility Forum'

ABU DHABI (WAM)

The National Media Office (NMO) organised the "Media and National Responsibility Forum" as part of its efforts to coordinate and collaborate with members of the UAE media ecosystem, including traditional media and social media platforms. The forum aims to promote responsible and purposeful communication that safeguards the nation's interests, security, and stability while exposing false claims, disinformation, and the spread of rumours and suspicious campaigns instigated by online troll armies.

The forum was attended by Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the NMO and Chairman of the UAE Media Council; Dr. Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Chairman of the UAE Cyber Security Council; Khalid Mubarak Al Madhani, Head of the Federal Prosecution for Combatting Rumors and Cybercrimes; along with a distinguished group of editors-in-chief, media professionals, journalists, content creators, and social media influencers.

In his keynote speech at the forum, Abdulla Al Hamed emphasised the commitment of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to upholding the humanitarian legacy and ethical values of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, among the people of the UAE. He also noted that the preservation of authentic Emirati values by social media users is of great importance to the UAE leadership.

He said that social media platforms have a strong presence and influence across many sectors, with millions of followers in the UAE and beyond. “This calls for vigilance and awareness to ensure that the true image of the Emirati community and the country's achievements is conveyed.”

He added that it is essential to deliver objective content based on facts and accurate information and data while steering clear of rumours, misleading campaigns, and suspicious agendas aimed at corrupting societies and damaging relations between countries and peoples.

The NMO Chairman explained that maintaining the positive reputation of the UAE is the responsibility of everyone, especially the youth, a message he said was relayed by His Highness the President of the UAE during one of his meetings. “His Highness stressed the importance of using positive, methodical, and scientific responses against any attempts to harm the nation or Emirati society, without overstepping boundaries, describing UAE citizens as ambassadors, entrusted with the responsibility of enhancing the UAE's good reputation.”

Sheikh Abdulla Al Hamed outlined the key traits of the Emirati personality on social media, as defined by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. These traits include the ethics of the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, avoiding insults and offensive language, upholding modesty, living up to the civility of the UAE community, demonstrating confidence and humility, using reason and logic in dialogue, engaging positively with different ideas, cultures, and societies, and promoting community-driven initiatives that enrich the nation.

He noted, “Every Emirati on social media is an ambassador of their country and an important part of its soft power. They should contribute to the achievements of the UAE by engaging in objective discussions, combatting rumours, avoiding involvement in suspicious campaigns, and upholding the values and ethics of the Emirati people.”

The Chairman of the National Media Office said that "Block Without Comment", the anti-online trolling campaign he launched to combat “electronic flies” (online trolls) and those behind suspicious campaigns attempting to sow discord among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in particular and Arab countries in general, is rooted in the national principles established by the wise leadership of the GCC countries. “These principles reject getting drawn into the chaos and strife caused by individuals of weak character who seek to increase their follower count at the expense of national stability and security. Such individuals aim to lure social media users into imaginary battles filled with accusations and falsehoods.”

He indicated that the campaign received a positive response from ministers, officials, journalists, artists, academics, and social media audiences from various countries of the GCC, as well as citizens from other Arab countries. The interaction volume exceeded 90 million interactions. He noted that the campaign successfully achieved a reduction in the volume of offensive content by more than 95 percent in just four days, while positive content increased by more than 85 percent.

The NMO Chairman explained that the main reason for the campaign's success is the great responsibility that His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has assigned to every responsible Emirati. "Based on this trust, the campaign emphasises the necessity of adhering to ethical and legal standards to ensure that misleading information is not published, that citizens' privacy is not threatened, that innocent people are not defamed, and that information or opinions that may negatively affect public security or harm the country's relations with other countries and international entities are not disseminated."

He affirmed that publishing on media and social media platforms imposes an ethical responsibility on journalists, influencers, and content creators to deliver a balanced discourse that rejects extremism, racism, threats, and hatred, and to avoid campaigns of accusations and the spread of rumours. Al Hamed emphasised the necessity of respecting publishing laws and intellectual property rights, and using media positively to build relationships, share ideas, and promote the progress and achievements of the UAE.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that published content follows the principles of accuracy, truthfulness, and objectivity by verifying information and citing credible sources. Al Hamed also highlighted the need for transparency, independence, integrity, and fairness in presenting diverse viewpoints, providing an objective perspective on events, and not violating privacy.

He added, "We want a media that reflects the values of the UAE, addressing issues with objectivity and transparency without insult, transgressions, or exaggerations. A media that contributes to building public awareness and serves the interests of the nation and its citizens, a media that acts as a platform for effective communication among different segments of society.'"

The NMO Chairman affirmed that the UAE's media strategy is based on achieving leadership in the media sector through a comprehensive media system that serves as an inspiring model at both regional and global levels. "This is anchored in the vision of our wise leadership, which always places innovation at the forefront of its priorities, believing that a resilient media ecosystem is one of the most important pillars of soft power utilised by countries seeking to secure a permanent position among the top rankings in global competitiveness indicators.”

Al Hamed concluded his speech by addressing young influencers and content creators on various social media platforms, emphasising that social media pioneers should embody the noble values of the UAE leadership, which provides an inspiring example of humility and high morals. He noted the individual behaviours of all social media users from the United Arab Emirates should align with the vision of the UAE leadership aimed at upholding the nation's authentic values and traditions.

For his part, Dr. Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, in his speech, emphasised the council's commitment to launching awareness campaigns and engaging with the public from various segments through all communication channels to increase awareness and enhance the community's understanding of the nature of cyber threats and how to deal with them.

He also highlighted the importance of providing them with the knowledge and tools necessary to identify these attacks and protect against them, as well as promoting safe behaviour on social media through best practices and preventive measures.

He added that the Cyber Security Council launched an initiative entitled "Cyber Pulse", which aims to enhance the participation of all segments of society in the field of cybersecurity and qualify them to contribute to spreading digital awareness in society, in order to preserve national gains and safeguard the national identity and youth from the poisons spread in cyberspace.

Dr. Al Kuwaiti explained that for the second consecutive year, the UAE has won a prestigious award at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2024, for its Cyber Pulse initiative, beating projects and initiatives submitted by more than 193 countries.

He noted that electronic flies try to exploit all loopholes in order to infiltrate and create divisions among people by spreading misleading news and false information aimed at undermining confidence and spreading discord. He stressed the importance of raising awareness and strengthening cybersecurity to counter such malicious attempts, noting that the UAE is working hard to enhance its advanced cybersecurity infrastructure and strengthen international cooperation to address these growing challenges in cyberspace.

Al Kuwaiti stated that the role of media organisations in this regard is vital, as they can deliver awareness messages to various segments of the public about the dangers of the wrong use of social media platforms and applications. It also contributes to guiding youth to avoid technical loopholes that may lead to falling prey to fraud and phishing.

During his speech at the forum, Khalid Mubarak Al Madhani, Head of the Federal Prosecution for Combatting Rumours and Cybercrime, stressed the need to abide by the media content standards in force in the country and avoid publishing any content that violates the values and principles of the UAE and harms its reputation. He noted that content creators must respect the country's internal and foreign policies, cultural heritage, national identity and societal values.

He added that last year, the UAE government issued a Federal Decree-Law on Media Regulation, which aims to regulate media activities of all kinds, strengthening the country's position as a global media centre, establishing an environment conducive to the growth and prosperity of the media sector, and contributing to the development of a competitive media legislative and investment environment that keeps pace with shifts in the global media sector.

Al Madhani explained that per the decree, all media individuals and institutions operating within the UAE are required to comply with the national standards for media content, most notably respecting the divine, and Islamic beliefs, as well as all other religions and beliefs; respecting the country's sovereignty, symbols and institutions, and the supreme interests of the UAE and its society; respecting the directions and policies of the country on the local and international levels; avoiding any actions that may have an adverse impact on the UAE’s foreign relations; and respecting the culture and civilisation, national identity and values of the UAE community.

He called on social media users to avoid publishing or circulating anything that harms national unity and social cohesion, avoid incitement to violence and hatred, avoid stirring up hatred and sowing discord in society, and avoid publishing, broadcasting or circulating rumours, false and misleading news, and anything that may incite the commission of crimes.

At the end of the meeting, Abdulla Al Hamed, Dr. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti and Khalid Al Madhani took questions from an audience of media professionals, content creators and social media influencers, which focused on the UAE's media strategy and future media trends, as well as governance, policies and regulatory strategies for the national media.

Discussions also revolved around the importance of strengthening the role of media in supporting national identity, spreading community awareness and supporting national campaigns aimed at protecting members of society from the danger of fake accounts on various communication platforms, as well as how to deal with the growing digital challenges and mechanisms to maintain credibility and transparency in the media amid rapid technological transformations.