Morocco is represented at this Forum by the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of Digital Transition and Administration Reform, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, who is taking part in Riyadh in the DCO Ministerial Dialogue on Fake news. In her speech on this occasion, Ms. Seghrouchni focused on the issue of Fake news and the dimensions it has taken on in light of digital evolution and the rapid development of advanced technologies, emphasizing that Morocco, which attaches great importance to this issue due to its negative repercussions in various areas, works to create a healthy digital environment that guarantees the protection of privacy and the rights of the individual.
Coordination within the framework of the DCO and the exchange of good practices in this regard will make it possible to confront the phenomenon of Fake news and limit its effects, she considered.
Placed under the theme “Ministerial dialogue on fake news: Towards the adoption of a unified path”, the Forum saw the participation of several ministers from DCO member states.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Organization, based in the Saudi capital, announced the launch of the initiative to promote the integrity of online content, via a joint declaration which was ratified by Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and Rwanda.
The initiative, led and sponsored by Kuwait and presented during the 3rd General Assembly of the Organization for Digital Cooperation, aims to promote respect for social and cultural diversity and combat online disinformation through efforts to mediation and coordination between businesses, governments and other relevant parties, such as international organizations and civil society.
The declaration provides for the creation of a high-level ministerial committee to oversee the implementation of the online content integrity initiative, while the countries that approved it reaffirmed their commitment to promoting “a inclusive, transparent and secure digital economy that allows people to flourish. According to the Declaration, the private sector and social media should be “a partner in these efforts to promote positive social impact, rather than a means of spreading negative influences.” In this statement, the DCO reaffirms its commitment to improving trust in the virtual space by addressing the ethics and privacy challenges associated with emerging technologies.
Furthermore, the document highlighted the crucial importance of active dialogue and cooperation between social media platforms and the countries in which they operate, considering that cooperation based on mutual trust represents “the key to “emergence of a digital landscape that respects the rights and values of all parties concerned”.
In a press statement, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization Dima Al-Yahya noted that opinion polls in 46 countries showed that more than 59% of respondents are concerned about the difficulty in distinguishing real content from fake content online.
Disinformation “is no longer a marginal issue, but a frightening digital pandemic that requires urgent and joint action,” she said, noting that “studies have shown that disinformation could disrupt elections in many countries over the next two years and thus threaten global stability. More than 10,000 participants from 170 countries, as well as a thousand international speakers, are taking part in the United Nations Internet Governance Forum. Some 300 thematic sessions and workshops will discuss international trends and policies in Internet governance.
It is also about exchanging experiences, information and good practices, identifying new digital challenges and promoting cooperation between the public and private sectors and civil society organizations.
