The Rehabilitation, Employment and Follow-up Unit at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad, organized a specialized scientific workshop titled “Soft War through Low-Quality Digital Content,” presented by Assistant Professor Dr. Basim Waheed Jouni, as part of the college’s awareness programs aimed at protecting students from contemporary digital challenges.
The workshop highlighted the mechanisms of “soft war” and how low-quality digital content can be used as a tool to negatively influence social and value systems. It also emphasized strengthening students’ critical awareness to help them identify misleading content or material aimed at distorting public perception. The lecturer stressed the role of media students, as future opinion leaders, in confronting such phenomena by producing responsible and professional media content based on ethical standards.
The session also addressed strategies for countering low-quality content in the digital space and analyzed examples of embedded communicative messages targeting young audiences. It further explained how digital tools can be used responsibly in a way that serves the public interest and preserves cultural identity.
Interactive discussions were held, during which students shared their perspectives on reducing the spread of low-value content and explored possible technical, legal, and educational solutions to improve public taste across social media platforms.
The workshop concluded with key recommendations, including the need to intensify awareness campaigns and training workshops to enhance “digital literacy,” and to support youth initiatives that produce creative and purposeful content capable of countering intellectual trivialization, thereby contributing to building a safe and productive digital environment.
The outcomes of this workshop align with the University of Baghdad’s vision in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education) by developing students’ analytical skills, and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by protecting the social fabric from the negative effects of soft wars and promoting values of awareness and social responsibility.
