The rapid growth of social media and artificial intelligence is changing how misinformation spreads and influences public awareness. False information can move quickly across digital platforms, creating fear, anger, confusion, and loss of trust.
This was among the key issues discussed by Dr. Mohamed El Guindy, an international cybersecurity and information technology expert, during his meeting with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, government leaders, experts, and specialists.
Dr. El Guindy explained that a disinformation campaign does not always aim to make people believe something false. In some cases, the more serious objective is to create doubt. When people begin questioning every piece of information, source, and institution, it becomes harder to determine what can be trusted.
Understanding Disinformation Campaigns
Dr. El Guindy presented the ABCDE model to analyze five key elements:
- Actor: Who started spreading the information?
- Behavior: How was it distributed? Were fake or coordinated accounts used to amplify it?
- Content: Was it a message, image, video, or shocking headline?
- Degree: How far could the source reach?
- Effect: What happened after the information spread?
As a hypothetical example, false information about a problem affecting the Suez Canal could begin on an unknown website, spread through social media accounts, and eventually reach news organizations or financial markets.
Information can be false while its impact is real.
Manufacturing Doubt Is Not New
Dr. El Guindy also referred to historical efforts by the tobacco industry to create doubt around research linking smoking to lung cancer. The objective was not necessarily to prove smoking was safe. Creating uncertainty around the research could delay action and make people question established evidence.
It is not always necessary to convince people of a new story. Sometimes, creating doubt about an existing truth can be enough.
Why Repetition Can Feel Like Truth
Repeated information does not necessarily come only from fake accounts. Social media platforms learn from what users watch, click on, and read, then recommend similar content. This can create a filter bubble, where users repeatedly see the same ideas and feel that “everyone is saying this,” while actually seeing content from a limited circle.
This is connected to the attention economy, where platforms compete to keep users engaged longer. Content that generates strong emotions, including fear and anger, can contribute to that engagement.
Real Images Can Mislead
Disinformation does not always require fake content. A genuine image can be taken out of context, or a real video can be presented as evidence of another event.
Before sharing, ask: Where did it first appear? When was it published? What was its original context?
AI Is Increasing the Challenge
AI makes it easier to imitate voices, generate images, and produce convincing videos. Dr. El Guindy highlighted its use in impersonation, blackmail, and defamation, including cases where officials’ voices were imitated to request financial transfers.
Users should therefore verify the source, how the person contacted them, and any financial request through an official channel.
Building Stronger Digital Awareness
Users should ask: Who published it? Where is the original source? When was it published? Are reliable sources confirming it?
They should also be cautious with headlines designed to trigger fear or anger, since strong emotions can encourage sharing before verification.
Repetition does not prove truth. Multiple accounts may simply repeat the same unreliable source.
At the institutional level, addressing disinformation requires early monitoring, continuous analysis, and digital crisis simulations, supported by clear plans defining who responds, where and when, and how the response is measured.
As technology and disinformation techniques evolve, digital awareness and critical thinking remain essential tools for protecting individuals and communities.
Before believing or sharing information, pause, check the source, and verify the facts.