Lifting the Ban on Foreign Messengers is Essential to Combat Fake News
Lifting the Ban on Foreign Messengers is Essential to Combat Fake News
The Director of the Public Relations Center of the Ministry of Health, emphasizing the necessity of official authorities' presence in cyberspace, considered lifting restrictions a way to provide scientific responses to pseudoscience and ensure timely information dissemination in the health sector.
According to the university's web correspondent, Hossein Kermanpour, Director of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, in an interview with the government information portal, he discussed the performance of agencies in responding to fake news and pseudoscience, noting the impact of the decision by the Special Headquarters for the Organization and Steering of Cyberspace to lift the ban on the activities of government agencies on foreign messengers. He stated: A significant portion of the information and news published these days on social networks, especially platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, and to some extent, X, originates from non-scientific sources both inside and outside the country. Given that a significant part of the population is present on these platforms, official authorities must be responsive in these spaces.
He remarked: People prefer official authorities. For example, in the field of the Ministry of Health, we have repeatedly witnessed the publication of pseudoscience in cyberspace. In some cases, a university professor or a scientific individual has responded to it, which is a good action, but people are still waiting to see if the official authority also responds to the matter.
Kermanpour added: Many people do not know that in some instances, adhering to laws and restrictions prevented medical science universities in a province from being able to respond to certain pseudo-sciences in cyberspace; for example, one of the provincial medical science universities had not published a response to a pseudo-science for this very reason, because they were not present and wanted to comply with the law.
Emphasizing the role of the government information council's follow-ups regarding the lifting of this ban, the Director of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health continued: With the removal of this restriction, the first thing that happens is that official authorities can respond to pseudo-science.
Referring to the significant presence of people on social networks, Dr. Kermanpour said: Whether we want to or not, people are present on these platforms and use them; therefore, our audience is not just the individuals within the domestic sphere, but all people are our audience, and a significant portion of them is present on these networks.
Emphasizing the importance of this issue in the field of health and treatment, he clarified: In the field of health and treatment, there are teachings that sometimes, and even inevitably, all people must be aware of. Therefore, we must use every space for accurate, timely, and scientific information dissemination. When we are unable to perform this precise information dissemination, on the other hand, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) incurs costs for every piece of information, and we do not have enough financial resources to cover these costs.
The Director of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health added: We have practically lost the domestic media; this is an issue that exists regarding IRIB and also applies to domestic platforms. Not the entire Iranian population is present on domestic platforms; only a portion of the people are on them.
Dr. Kermanpour, stating that this issue can have consequences in the health sector, said: If we want to, for example, provide information about an infectious disease, one part of the population will be informed and another part will not. Those who are not informed might contract the virus, may not know how to combat it, and might transmit the disease to people who are aware of the subject; therefore, this matter is important.
He identified the third issue as communication with foreign audiences and said: Part of our dialogue is with foreigners. In order to show what position we hold in the field of science and what stage and position our health is at in the world, we have no choice but to announce our presence everywhere.
The Director of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health continued: A part of today's social, cultural, and international space is shaped on global platforms. Some individuals indeed use certain platforms incorrectly, but we are not concerned with them; we will make the best use of the platforms and provide our accurate information and precise responses.
Referring to the experience of the recent war and the importance of the war of narratives, Dr. Kermanpour stated: Fourth...This issue is that it has been proven in war that the war of narratives is an international matter. In the recent war, the war of narratives flowed at an international level, and this occurred on X, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
He added: When the opposing side has no connection to our domestic platforms, if Trump publishes a text, or a Foreign Minister or even a representative publishes something, they must receive a convincing and fully scientific response from their opponent.
The Director of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health said: Thank God, the Foreign Minister, the President, and other officials were present on social networks; however, the fact that the people are also behind this matter is something that must be seen and evaluated on social networks.
Dr. Kermanpour continued: Fortunately, the people came to the aid of the Islamic Republic and the system by using VPNs. This is a system that did not allow, or had laws stating, that people should not enter cyberspace, but the people obtained VPNs and came to the aid of the system.
Referring to the role of the people in narrating the events of the recent war, he said: Many of the events that took place were reflected, in terms of national security, among Iranians inside and outside the country, as well as among people outside the country who are oppressive and do not even know our language, operating in English and the international language. They realized, for example, what happened in La Marad and what happened in other instances.
The Director of the Public Relations and Information Center of the Ministry of Health added: When the people narrate these events, their acceptance becomes much greater, and alongside that, we publish relevant images to prove our innocence to the world.
Dr. Kermanpour concluded: A truly great job was done and, in my opinion, it will be very effective, especially in the fields of health, hygiene, and medicine; it is worthy of gratitude that this happened under this government.
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