Professionalism of journalists crucial in combating disinformation, says Report's director

The professionalism of journalists and their understanding of geopolitical processes are key factors in the fight against disinformation, according to Fuad Huseynaliyev, Director of the Report news agency. He made the statement during a panel discussion at the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Media Forum titled "Seeking Truth in the Digital Age: Combating Disinformation."

Huseynaliyev pointed out that there is a global trend of declining education quality, with younger generations reading significantly less compared to previous generations. "Unfortunately, in the era of rapidly developing social networks, the main problem is the abundance of websites where information is not always verified before publication," he said. "Recognized media resources in Azerbaijan, such as AZERTAC, Report, Trend, and APA, always thoroughly verify data before releasing it on their websites. Many social networks, on the contrary, use unverified information."

He emphasized that under such conditions, finding professional personnel in the field of journalism becomes truly challenging. Huseynaliyev also highlighted that professional journalists are capable of promptly identifying disinformation, and specialized media schools in Azerbaijan, particularly the Report Media School, are training highly qualified personnel to address this issue.

Murad Dadashov, moderator of the panel and Director General of the Khazar Media Center, supported Huseynaliyev's opinion on the influence of social networks on the spread of disinformation. He stressed that in this regard, media literacy among the population becomes especially important.

Vugar Aliyev, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), noted that modern individuals live in a vast information flow, which has both positive and negative aspects. "Very often, contradictory messages or fake news can be found on various media resources. In this regard, it is clear that news consumption requires a competent and conscious approach, in other words, media literacy," he said.

Aliyev emphasized that media literacy provides news readers with tools to assess the reliability and accuracy of sources. "In the current conditions of the information space, it acquires special importance, as it allows for proper navigation in the huge flows of information," he added.

Jahongir Azimov, Director of the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media in Uzbekistan, highlighted the self-organization of ordinary citizens who create platforms for disseminating information, thus becoming primary sources. However, he pointed out their low media literacy, which affects the accuracy of the information they provide.

"The main task of Uzbekistan is to develop critical and creative thinking among the population so that citizens do not become a source of disinformation," Azimov said. "Both journalists and ordinary people are in a common information space that influences everyone. Therefore, it is important to make this information field favorable and healthy."

Tokhir Umarov, Head of the Department for the Development of Digital Technologies and Media Education at the Agency of Information and Mass Communications under the Administration of the President of Uzbekistan, explained that media literacy goes beyond simply reading news and distinguishing facts from opinions. "It is the ability to analyze sources, understand hidden motives behind messages, and make informed decisions based on the information received. In today's digital world, the population faces a vast amount of data, and their future depends on how they learn to interact with it," he said.