Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalists (ARIJ) hosted a roundtable discussion on “Combating Disinformation in the Arab World” via Zoom on July 20.  Nearly 30 journalists, fact-checkers and media scholars participated in the discussion which aimed to brief attendees on the initial findings of a recommendation paper on the topic, supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation – MENA.

The session kicked off with a presentation of the paper by the research team: media researcher and former journalist Dr. Noha Atef, journalist and researcher Basma Elmahdy, and investigative journalist Basma Mostafa. ARIJ Executive Director Rawan Damen noted that the work on this paper takes the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study and explained the value of addressing the topic of disinformation in the region, especially at this time. Noha Atef, the paper’s main researcher and team leader, addressed the reasons behind the spread of disinformation and its influence, and proposed recommendations for combating it. 

To prepare for the paper, the team applied both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including in-depth interviews with experts, and two focus groups with fact-checkers in newsrooms and independent outlets, in addition to surveying around 230 journalists from the MENA region. The team also relied on online interaction with journalists, experts and media students through ARIJ’s closed Facebook group “ARIJ with You”, by starting conversations and conducting polls. 

Damen referred to the absence of science journalism in the Arab world as well as the decline in access to information. She added, “the pandemic has stirred a number of challenges for journalists, such as the fear of infection during work, the fear of job loss and the limitation of the financial resources for safety equipment.” 

Atef went on to highlight some of the positive impacts of COVID-19 on the Arab media landscape, such as the increased demand for fact-checking, and the convention of training online, which facilitates the inclusion of more journalists, especially those who suffer mobility restrictions due to political tensions or conflict. 

During the 80-minute discussion period, attendees to the roundtable shared their insights, suggestions and experiences, which were highly appreciated by ARIJ and promised to be integrated into the recommendation paper. Invited participants expressed their support for ARIJ, and since the discussion, some have already contacted ARIJ for projects relevant to disinformation in their countries.