‘Credibility bedrock of reporting, fake news immense challenge’

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MOSCOW, Sept 24: Fake news and misinformation have morphed into an immense challenge that has impeded the public’s access to reputable news reporting, KUNA’s acting director general Mohammad Al-Mannae told a Russia-hosted forum recently, citing “credibility” as the bedrock of news reporting.

Joining an international forum in the Russian capital entitled “Dialogue about Fakes 4.0,” he urged the need to maintain “balance” between the speed of news delivery and accuracy of information, in light of an evolving news industry transformed by the use of rapid technologies, added the KUNA acting chief. On such cutting-edge technologies, KUNA’s acting director general mentioned the growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry as a tool that can be employed by journalists to accelerate news production and analyze data, warning that such means should not come at the expense of “reliability and credibility.”

On efforts KUNA has pursued to halt the spread of fake news and misinformation, he said that the state-run Kuwaiti news agency had launched an observatory in October of 2024 to bring that goal to fruition, saying the body acts as a shield against fake information and a platform for hoax detection. Fighting the spread of fake news requires ratcheting up international cooperation and know-how exchange among global news agencies, he underlined, citing the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) as the “professional framework” through which the process of cooperation and the exchange of information should proceed.

The growth of the digital industry has not come without its challenges, he added, saying that bolstering cooperation across key areas such as digital verification, AI, and professional development was imperative to keep these hardships at bay, he said, highlighting that “protecting the truth” represents a professional obligation (KUNA)