Campus & Students Life in Qatar, described as 'the nation’s largest student community', has announced the launch of a campaign aimed at combating the spread of fake news.
"This initiative seeks to educate high school and university students on how to identify and debunk misinformation, promoting a culture of critical thinking and media literacy," a statement said Wednesday.
"Fake news can have significant consequences, from influencing public opinion to undermining trust in legitimate news sources," stated Vahid Suljic, founder of Campus & Students Life in Qatar.
"Fake news undermines the foundation of our society by spreading falsehoods and creating divisions. Through this campaign, we aim to empower students with the skills to critically analyse the information they encounter daily. I encourage all students to participate actively in our workshops and become ambassadors of truth in their communities.
"The campaign will focus on several key strategies for identifying fake news. Students will learn to check the source to verify the credibility of websites and publications, as reputable sources are typically well-known and have a history of reliable reporting.
"They will be encouraged to cross-reference information by looking for the same news story on multiple trustworthy sites; if a story only appears on one site, its credibility should be questioned. Analysing the author’s credentials and other articles they’ve written will also be emphasised, as a lack of verifiable information about the author is a red flag.
"Additionally, students will be taught to look for supporting evidence, as authentic news stories provide evidence and data, and to be wary of articles that make bold claims without supporting facts. Ensuring the news is current and relevant is crucial, as outdated articles can be misleading when recirculated.
"Furthermore, students will learn to assess the tone, as legitimate news stories maintain a neutral and factual tone, while sensationalist language can often be a sign of fake news. The campaign will introduce students to various online tools designed to help identify fake news. Fact-checking websites such as Snopes, FactCheck.org, and PolitiFact specialise in debunking misinformation.
"Browser extensions like NewsGuard and Fake News Detector provide credibility ratings for websites. Additionally, Campus & Students Life in Qatar will offer free educational workshops to educate students on these tools and methods. These workshops will be conducted by experienced professionals and volunteers from the community."
Vahid Suljic
