Call for Action Against Disinformation
During an international conference held in Abidjan, Latifa Akharbach, the President of the Haute Autorité de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA), emphasized the urgent need for digital platforms in Morocco to take decisive steps to demonetize disinformation while upholding fundamental freedoms. She articulated Morocco’s stance on digital regulation, asserting that it should not impede technological innovation but rather enhance transparency, ensure traceability of information sources, and hold digital platforms accountable for their content.
Akharbach’s remarks came during a conference co-organized by the Réseau des Instances Africaines de Régulation de la Communication (RIARC) and the Réseau Francophone des Régulateurs des Médias, highlighting Morocco's commitment to an open digital environment that fosters freedom of expression, innovation, and free market principles. Despite facing persistent disinformation campaigns, Morocco has maintained a strong respect for internet freedoms, showcasing the nation's dedication to protecting its citizens’ rights in the digital age.
Protecting Freedom in the Digital Landscape
In her address, Akharbach identified the dual challenges that must be faced to protect freedom of expression in today’s digital landscape. This includes not only the traditional dynamics between the state, media, and citizens but also the contemporary challenges posed by digital infrastructures that play a crucial role in shaping access to information and influencing public discourse. She underscored the significance of transparency concerning the origins of online content, arguing that a lack of clarity threatens citizens’ freedom of choice and their right to trustworthy information.
Calling upon major digital platforms to embrace their responsibilities, she noted that these platforms have the necessary technical capabilities to identify and withdraw advertising revenue from websites, accounts, and content that propagate disinformation, impersonate media, or engage in various forms of information manipulation. For HACA, the act of demonetizing disinformation has become a vital strategy for purifying the information ecosystem, ensuring that neither freedom of expression nor economic freedom is compromised in the process.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
