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Rabat – Media manipulation is a growing threat in the age of digital transformation, said Latifa Akharbach, the President of the High Authority of Audiovisual Communication (HACA).
Speaking during an inaugural lecture at Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Akharbach highlighted the concerning impact of misinformation in today’s digitally evolving landscape, branding it as “a scourge that no society can evade.”
The lecture, focused on the theme “Media Manipulation in Times of Crisis: The Al Haouz Earthquake as a Case Study,” shed light on how media manipulation is becoming more dangerous due to the digital revolution in communication and media channels.
Akharbach underscored that the advent of the digital shift and the emergence of a “networked society” has reshaped the information ecosystem, creating both new organizational dynamics and a shared public space engulfing everyone.
She outlined the pervasive influence of media manipulation on modern societies, cautioning that this manipulation has transcended boundaries, infiltrating even the realms of exact sciences, as disinformation is now used as a tool to push political agendas.
The media expert cautioned that no field is immune from the threat, citing the widespread disinformation campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic as a prime example of the need to “protect the integrity of information and knowledge.”
For Akharbach, “the challenge lies in combating media manipulation without infringing upon freedom.” It is crucial to bolster media offerings as social networks have replaced traditional media as a primary source of information, particularly in Africa, she said.
In response, Mustapha El Jaia, President of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, commended the selection of the topic for the inaugural lecture and highlighted the university’s commitment to fostering initiatives that promote scientific and cultural research.
