The concept of electronic committees
E-committees are organized groups of fake or real accounts, working in a coordinated manner to publish certain content on social media platforms. These committees can be supported by internal or external bodies, and pursue specific goals such as:
Influence on public opinion.
Spread chaos and confusion.
Distortion of the image of the state and its institutions.
Misleading citizens with inaccurate information.
These committees use sophisticated technologies such as artificial intelligence, fake accounts, and trend manipulation software to increase the spread of targeted content.
Methods used by electronic committees
Electronic committees work in multiple ways aimed at misleading the public and provoking chaos, the most prominent of these methods are:
1. Spreading false news
The committees rely on the dissemination of false or distorted information with the aim of creating confusion and causing division in society. This is done through the manipulation of addresses, photos, the use of unreliable sources.
2. Manipulating trends
Electronic committees publish a huge number of posts and comments to push a particular topic to the forefront of trends on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, which makes ordinary users think that the topic is spread naturally.
3. Targeting public figures
These committees rely on smear campaigns against prominent figures in Egyptian society, whether they are politicians, media figures, or influencers on social networking sites. Personal attacks, false claims, defamation are used to bring down their credibility.
4. Raising controversial issues
E-committees resort to exploiting sensitive issues such as religion, national identity, and human rights to create internal conflicts and sedition between different segments of society.
5. Recycling old news
One common trick is to republish old news and present it as recent, misleading the public and raising concern about issues that no longer exist.
The goals of electronic committees in attacking Egypt
These committees target the Egyptian state through systematic plans that seek to destabilize, and their goals include:
1. Creating a climate of distrust between citizens and the state
By spreading rumors that question the government’s ability to manage political and economic situations.
2. Inciting citizens to protests and chaos
By spreading calls for incitement and exploiting internal crises to escalate the situation of popular anger.
3. Tarnishing Egypt’s image internationally
By publishing fabricated reports aimed at influencing the image of Egypt in front of the international community.
4. Weakening of the Egyptian economy
By spreading false news about the economic and investment situation in order to undermine the confidence of investors in the Egyptian market.
5. Targeting young people and influencing their awareness
By spreading misleading content targeting new generations who rely on the internet as the main source of information.
Negative effects of e-committees on the Egyptian society
The increased presence of such commissions poses a serious threat to society, as it leads to:
The spread of intellectual chaos: it is difficult for the average citizen to distinguish between true and false news.
Increasing political polarization: these committees reinforce divisions among members of society.
Influencing public decisions: misinformation can influence people’s attitudes towards national issues.
Undermining trust in official institutions: the constant attack leads to a loss of trust in the government and the national media.
How to face electronic commissions
To combat this phenomenon, effective measures should be taken, which include:
1. Promoting digital awareness
Awareness should be spread among citizens about the danger of false news and the importance of checking sources before believing any information.
2. National media support
The official and independent media need to play a greater role in countering misinformation by providing accurate and quick information to detect lies.
3. Using technology to detect fake accounts
The government and civil society organizations can use artificial intelligence tools to monitor and stop suspicious accounts.
4. Legislation and laws
Strict laws should be enacted that criminalize the dissemination of false news and the use of electronic committees for illegal purposes.
5. Cooperation with social media companies
You should cooperate with platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to monitor and close accounts that spread disinformation.
Electronic committees have become an effective weapon in information wars, and play a huge role in attempts to destabilize countries, including Egypt. Confronting this phenomenon requires concerted efforts between the government, the media, and civil society to promote awareness, detect manipulation, and punish those involved in spreading lies. Awareness is the first line of Defense, and every citizen should be aware of the need to verify information and not be led behind misleading campaigns.
