A roundtable titled "Information Warfare: The Purpose and Nature of Information Attacks Against Azerbaijan Ahead of COP29" was held in Baku, APA reports.
The event was organized jointly by Baku State University (BSU) and the Press Council.
The Chairman of the Press Council Rashad Majid spoke about the significance of holding the roundtable for the media and society. Emphasizing that disinformation plays a negative role in society, the Press Council Chairman noted that combating fake news has now become a necessity.
Head of APA Media Group Vusala Mahirgizi discussed the use of social media for the creation and spread of fake news, recalling an article written by Jeff Bezos in The Washington Post.
Vusala Mahirgizi noted that Jeff Bezos, who owns world's main information sources, including the Washington Post, has himself admitted that these media outlets are no longer trusted: "Bezos stated that most people turn to inaccurate podcasts, inaccurate social media posts, and other unverified news sources, which can quickly spread disinformation and deepen divisions. The Washington Post and The New York Times win awards, but increasingly, they only communicate with a certain elite. Bezos wrote: "More and more, we talk to ourselves." This situation has continuously been created by biased campaigns aimed at specific goals. Protecting a specific political objective over time and carrying out "black PR" against others creates this kind of image. Hikmat Hajiyev, the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, rightly pointed out on social media that these Washington Post campaigns reminds one of the activities of "Komsomolskaya Pravda" towards the end of the Soviet era."
Vusala Mahirgizi stated that the media attacks, which began ahead of COP29, are predicted to continue during the event and beyond.
She mentioned that there are two main ways to combat fake information. It is essential to respond to false information promptly. "In this field, the MEDIA Agency's activity is operative and commendable. Just recently, the Agency, together with the relevant Commission of the Milli Majlis, responded promptly to an information provocation conducted under the COP29 hashtag on the X platform."
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