A top UAE official has called for an “informational boycott” of some international media outlets that have “deviated from journalistic integrity”, warning that misinformation campaigns have become a key front in modern conflicts.
These outlets have adopted “agendas that lack credibility”, said Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Authority (NMA), calling for their boycott to prevent their narratives from influencing public opinion.
Al Hamed made the remarks during the Authority’s annual Ramadan gathering in Dubai.
Calling Iran’s attack on the UAE “treacherous”, he stressed the importance of the media’s role during such critical moments.
“Responsible media messaging, grounded in balance and credibility, can often have a greater impact than the noise of the events themselves,” he said.
Modern conflicts, he added, are no longer confined to traditional battlefields. He described the media landscape as a “parallel front, where the war on awareness, fueled by misinformation and disinformation campaigns, has become just as threatening as physical warfare”.
A “professional and conscious media”, he said, is the first line of defense against misinformation campaigns.
Addressing social media influencers and creators, Al Hamed also warned against engaging with abusive accounts or sharing content from unverified sources.
“Removing falsehood begins with ignoring it. Be cautious when sharing unverified content, as it may be a tool in psychological warfare aimed at undermining societal stability.”
Source: Khaleej Times