BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 21. A public
discussion titled “Disinformation as the Most Serious Threat at the
Global Level and in the Azerbaijani Context” was held in Baku on
January 21, organized by the Azerbaijan National NGOs Forum (ANNF)
in partnership with the Media Development Agency and the Azerbaijan
Press Council, Trend reports.


Chairperson of the Board of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum,
Ramil Iskandarli, stated that the World Economic Forum (WEF)
recently released its "Global Risks Report" in Davos. According to
the report, disinformation and false information have been
identified as the main risk for Azerbaijan in 2026, while
disinformation has also been assessed as a serious global
threat.


“Disinformation in the modern era has turned into a systemic
threat that targets not only the information sphere but also public
stability, state–citizen relations, and democratic institutions.
Civil society must be more sensitive than ever on this issue,
expose false information in a timely manner, and act as a barrier
against its spread. The World Economic Forum identifying
disinformation as a key risk for Azerbaijan is a serious signal.
That is why the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum decided to organize
this public discussion together with partner organizations and with
the participation of civil society representatives,” Iskandarli
said.


Deputy Executive Director of the MDA, Natig Mammadli, noted that
disinformation threats are increasing rapidly worldwide and that
social media platforms have become the main space for the spread of
disinformation.


“The Azerbaijani state has strong political will to combat all
forms of disinformation. However, in this process, public
vigilance, media literacy, and the high intellectual level of
society are the most powerful weapons,” he noted.


Chairman of the Azerbaijan Press Council Rashad Majid emphasized
the importance of media entities adhering to the "Code of Ethical
Conduct of Azerbaijani Journalists," noting that this can also
influence social media activists as a positive example. “The first
principle of the code states that the highest purpose of journalism
is to spread the truth, and objectivity is the main criterion of
professionalism. In general, adherence to all principles of the
code is an important safeguard for protecting society from
disinformation trends,” Majid delineated.


During thematic sessions held as part of the public discussion,
participants examined disinformation from various perspectives.


Speaking at a session titled “The Impact of Artificial
Intelligence-Generated Fake Images, Videos, and Bot Networks on
Public Opinion,” Chairperson of the Public Union for Support to
Innovative Initiatives in Media Mushfig Alasgarli drew attention to
the side effects of these technologies and the new risks they pose
in terms of information manipulation.







At the session on “Increasing Citizens’ Media Literacy and the
Role of NGOs in Public Awareness Against Disinformation on Social
Media Platforms,” Head of the International Eurasia Press Fund Umud
Rahimoglu and Chairman of the Public Union for Support to
Information and Social Initiatives Jasarat Huseynzada shared their
views on public oversight mechanisms by NGOs in this field.


During the session titled “Hybrid Threats Against Azerbaijan,
Geopolitical Aspects of Information Warfare, and Preventive
Measures,” Board member of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum Zaur
Ibrahimli and Chairperson of the Social Initiatives Center Public
Union Sanan Najafov highlighted the expanding scope and new
manifestations of hybrid threats at the global level.


At the session on “Regional Dynamics of Disinformation:
Experiences of the Global South and the Turkic World,” Secretary
General of the NGO Platform of Turkic States member countries, MP
Azer Allahveranov, stated that coordinated action in the
information space is of strategic importance for the Turkic
world.


Representative of the Secretariat of the Global South NGO
Platform Fuad Karimli spoke about the consequences of
disinformation in Global South countries, noting that insufficient
digital literacy, limited inclusion of local languages in
artificial intelligence systems, and a lack of technological
resources increase the impact of disinformation.


The Azerbaijan National NGOs Forum (ANNF) will continue to
organize public discussions on issues of relevance to society.


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