Baku hosts public discussions on local, global disinformation threat

A public discussion was held in Baku under the theme "Disinformation: the most serious threat globally and in the reality of Azerbaijan.

According to Report, the event was organized by the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum in partnership with the Media Development Agency and the Press Council.

Chairman of the NGO Forum, Ramil Iskandarli, stated that disinformation has become a systemic threat in the modern era, targeting not only the information sphere but also public stability, state–citizen relations, and democratic institutions:

"Civil society must be more sensitive than ever on this issue, expose false information in time, and act as a barrier against its dissemination."

Deputy Executive Director of the Media Development Agency, Natig Mammadli, noted that disinformation threats are advancing rapidly worldwide, with social media platforms becoming the main space for its spread:

"The Azerbaijani state has strong political will to combat all forms of disinformation. However, public vigilance, media literacy, and a high intellectual level of society are also essential in this process."

Chairman of the Press Council, Rashad Majid, emphasized the importance of media outlets adhering to the Code of Ethics for Azerbaijani Journalists:

"Compliance with all principles of the Code is crucial for protecting society from disinformation tendencies. This can also serve as a positive example for social media activists."

The public discussion continued through various thematic sessions.

Mushfig Alasgarli, Head of the Support for Innovative Initiatives in the Media Public Union, in the session themed Impact of AI-generated fake images, videos, and bot networks on public opinion, drew attention to the side effects of these technologies and the new risks they pose in terms of information manipulation.

Head of the International Eurasia Press Fund, Umud Rahimoghlu, and Jasarat Huseynzada, Chairman of the Support for Information and Social Initiatives Public Union, in the session themed Enhancing citizens" media literacy and the role of NGOs in raising public awareness against disinformation on social media platforms, shared their views on public oversight mechanisms in this field.

Secretary General of the NGO Platform of Turkic States, MP Azer Allahveranov, in the session themed, Regional dynamics of disinformation: Experiences of the Global South and the Turkic World, stressed that coordinated action in the information space is of strategic importance for the Turkic world.

Representative of the Global South NGO Platform Secretariat, Fuad Karimli, spoke about the consequences of disinformation in Global South countries:

"In the Global South, insufficient digital literacy, incomplete coverage of local languages in AI systems, and lack of technological resources increase the impact of disinformation."