ANKARA

The panel titled "The Role of News Agencies in the Disinformation Era" was held at the 51st Asia-Pacific News Agencies Association (OANA) Conference hosted by Anadolu on Monday in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul.

Vietnam News Agency (VNA) General Manager Vu Viet Trang, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) news agency WAM General Manager Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi and Xinhua News Agency Artificial Intelligence Director Wang Zhonghao participated as speakers in the panel moderated by Anadolu's Deputy Director General and Editor-in-Chief Yusuf Ozhan.

In his speech at the panel, Ozhan stated that providing accurate and reliable information is more important than ever.

"In a period when information is spreading rapidly, news agencies are of critical importance," he stressed.

Pointing out the fact that the spread of incorrect information and false news can cause extensive consequences, Ozhan gave an example from Gaza, which has been subjected to Israeli attacks for the last two weeks.

Ozhan recalled the "40 babies were beheaded" claims headlined globally just before the air raid started in Gaza. Ozhan said Anadolu contacted Israeli army spokesperson unit and received that they "have no information confirming allegations that ‘Hamas beheaded babies’."

"But you can see international news agencies and news channels that publish these stories without question," he criticized.

Noting that the hardships faced by news agencies in accessing information will be examined and their strategies will be discussed at the panel, he further underlined that information will be shared about solutions that can help in the fight against disinformation.  

Modern world brings fake news

Vu, the director general of VNA, expressed satisfaction at participating in the panel as a speaker, saying that fake news has been spreading rapidly through social media.

She touched on that this also brings speculations with itself.

The official noted that more than 80% of misinformation was shared via social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding: "Fake news has become a scourge in the modern world."

For his part, WAM's General Manager Rayssi also asserted that the developing technology is reflected in media literacy, mentioning that technology has good sides as it also leads to more disinformation on the other side.

Underscoring the importance of using technology in the fight against disinformation, he noted that not only text but also visual materials such as photos can be produced thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) in today's world, and it is important for reporters to adapt to such technological developments.

Recalling the rumors that AI will replace newspeople in the media field, he said AI will not replace journalists. Instead, it will help these people to do many things they could not do before.  

AI in the fight against disinformation

Meanwhile, Wang from Xinhua News Agency also noted that technologies such as AI shape the future of news and the structure of news agencies, touching on the significance of monitoring technological developments for the press sector.

Speaking about the threats posed by disinformation and rapidly developing AI, Wang stressed that technology should be used consciously to combat them.

The official noted that AI could easily produce deceptive texts, photos and videos.

Wang further stated that distinguishing disinformation and producing reliable content are among the priorities of news agencies.

Emphasizing that Xinhua News Agency employees use AI technology to detect and verify disinformation, Wang said that this technology also effectively increases the diversity of news.  

*Writing by Merve Berker