Misinformation thrives in Iraq’s virtual battlegrounds

A member of Iraq’s Interior Ministry’s anti-‘fake news’ team speaking to a shopkeeper in the capital Baghdad, as part of a campaign to spread awareness among the population about the danger and legal consequences of fake news that often circulate on social media. — AFP

BAGHDAD: Conspiracy theories, fake reports and mudslinging – in Iraq, false news thrives and risks real-life consequences as authorities struggle to counteract its spread.

Misinformation about political, social, security and economic issues abound online in the country, said Aws al-Saadi, a founder of Tech 4 Peace collective, an Iraqi organisation that tracks “fake news”.