Disinformation in Arab Media

In various parts of the Global South, disinformation is widely spread due to reasons that are entrenched in cultural, political, social, and ideological histories and which are, in turn, reflected in the journalism practiced in these regional areas. In Arab countries in general, this phenomenon has been the norm due to the complex historical, cultural, and social dynamics and constant changes. This chapter explores histories of disinformation in the Arab context by looking into the cultural dynamics, such as the oral nature of Arab societies, in addition to the emotive and secretive elements of Arab cultures. It also briefly includes an understanding of the political role of news disinformation that has been entrenched in Arab news reporting. The chapter then looks into the rise of investigative journalism in the Arab region as a fact-based form of journalism that aims to address deep-rooted notions of disinformation in Arab media.