RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA -- The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), a global multilateral organization committed to enabling digital prosperity for all by accelerating the sustainable and inclusive growth of the digital economy, hosted a strategic roundtable discussion with major technology companies, and social media and digital platform representatives to address the societal impact of the spread of online misinformation.

Building on the series of global roundtables conducted in 2023 as part of the “combating online misinformation” Digital Space Accelerators, this roundtable continuous the DCO’s ongoing efforts to combat online misinformation. Representatives from Google, LinkedIn, Meta and TikTok participated as key stakeholders to discuss this crucial issue affecting the digital world.

The roundtable, held at the DCO headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aimed to identify challenges and propose innovative solutions to foster trust and safeguard the digital economy. The participation of representatives from social media and digital platforms underscored the importance of the roundtable, providing a crucial platform for stakeholders to exchange perspectives and explore collaborative actions to combat online misinformation.

The discussions aimed to create an ongoing dialogue on the gravity of online misinformation as both a societal problem and a challenge to the digital economy. It also provided a platform for stakeholders to bridge their perspectives and work together to combat online misinformation, thereby ensuring a trustworthy digital information ecosystem.

“The exchange of ideas and insights from leading platforms has been invaluable. The key takeaway from the discussion was the importance of cooperation through a multistakeholder approach to combat online misinformation, which aligns with the DCO’s mission. We are confident that the outcomes of this roundtable will pave the way for a more informed and resilient digital society, and we look forward to our next collaborative roundtable to enable digital prosperity for all”, said Alaa Abdulaal, Chief of the Digital Economy Foresight department at the Digital Cooperation Organization.

Sarah Al-Husseini, Head of Government Affairs & Public Policy, KSA at Google, said: “People come to Google because they trust they will be able to find high quality information, which is why we take our commitment to combating misinformation through our products and our content policies very seriously. We work hard to retain that trust - designing our systems for quality and ensuring users are given access to a range of information from different voices and the tools to know what they can trust. We do not do it alone; in addition to continuously adapting our policies and technologies to prevent abuse, we openly share our technology and collaborate with experts to drive the industry forward and create a safer internet for everyone.”

Ranim Alamin, Strategic Government Partnerships Head, KSA at LinkedIn, said: “Taking part in the DCO's strategic roundtable offered us a valuable opportunity to discuss one of the more pressing issues in the digital world: Misinformation. The conversations we had with representatives from various leading platforms underscored the importance of a united approach to foster trust. We are committed to working together to build a more trusted and resilient digital information ecosystem.”

Tom Bonsundy-O'Bryan, Misinformation Policy, EMEA Lead at Meta, said: “We were glad to attend this roundtable organized by the DCO and remain deeply committed to tackling misinformation - balancing our values of expression, safety, authenticity and privacy.”

Hatem Samman, Executive Director of Government Relations & Public Policy, KSA at TikTok, said: “At TikTok, we are committed to fostering a secure and trustworthy digital environment for the community. This roundtable provided an essential platform for discussing innovative strategies and collaborative actions to combat misinformation. By working together, we can create a safe, authentic space where people can discover content that is original and engage with people who are authentic.”

The Digital Cooperation Organization remains committed to fostering a collaborative approach to combating misinformation and ensuring the growth of the digital economy. The DCO looks forward to continuing this impactful work with its partners in the social media and digital platform space.