Saudi Arabia Spearheads Second Meeting On Media Negotiations With Global Firms

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led the Second Meeting of the Arab Negotiating Team with International Media Companies in Riyadh. Media experts from Jordan, UAE, Tunisia, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, the Council of Arab Information Ministers' technical secretariat, and the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) attended.

The team discussed an executive plan for negotiations with international media companies. They set a timeframe for implementation and formulated a strategic direction with key global players in the media industry. This meeting aligns with the decision made during the 53rd session of the Council of Arab Information Ministers in Rabat.

Members agreed on a mechanism to encourage companies to use age classification on digital content platforms. This includes digital advertising, social media platforms, and search engines. They aim to establish a regulatory framework to combat content promoting discrimination and racism, violating privacy, or insulting any Arab country's history or civilization.

These recommendations seek to enhance Arab content and defend Arab and Islamic causes against negative propaganda. They also aim to protect children and youth from harmful content, address hate speech, fake news, and privacy violations, and preserve media rights in the advertising market.

Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi stated that this strategic direction shows a clear collective will to engage confidently in knowledge and communication society. He emphasized protecting Arab digital interests and combating terrorism, hatred, and discrimination to preserve values.

This initiative includes experts with legal expertise specializing in digital and communications fields. They study all regulatory aspects related to dealing with global media companies based on a cohesive Arab vision and unified Arab strategy's executive procedures.

The Assistant Secretary General and Supervisor of the Media and Communication Sector at the Arab League highlighted that this effort represents a collective will to protect digital interests. The team aims to combat terrorism discourse while preserving cultural values.

This meeting is part of ongoing efforts to create a regulatory framework for media content. It aims to ensure that international media companies adhere to standards that protect individuals' privacy and promote positive representation of Arab countries.

The team’s goal is to foster cooperation with international media companies while safeguarding regional interests. By setting clear guidelines, they hope to mitigate negative impacts on society caused by inappropriate digital content.

The recommendations also focus on addressing issues like hate speech and fake news. By implementing these measures, they aim to create a safer digital environment for all users.

This strategic direction underscores the importance of collaboration among Arab countries. It highlights their commitment to maintaining cultural integrity while engaging with global media entities.

The meeting concluded with a consensus on moving forward with these initiatives. The team will continue working towards implementing these strategies effectively across all relevant platforms.

With inputs from SPA