The Rehabilitation, Employment, and Follow-up Unit at the College of Mass Communication, University of Baghdad, organized a specialized scientific workshop titled “Soft Warfare Through Low-Quality Digital Content,” presented by Assistant Professor Dr. Basim Waheed Joni, as part of the College’s awareness programs aimed at protecting students from emerging digital challenges.
The workshop aimed to highlight the mechanisms of soft warfare and how low-quality digital content can be used as a tool to negatively influence social and value systems. It also sought to strengthen students’ critical awareness and enable them to identify misleading content or material intended to distort public awareness. During the workshop, the lecturer emphasized the role of media students, as future opinion leaders, in addressing such phenomena by producing substantive content based on professional and ethical standards.
The workshop examined strategies for addressing low-quality content in the digital space and analyzed examples of implicit communication messages targeting young people. It also provided a detailed explanation of how to use digital tools consciously and responsibly in ways that serve the public interest and preserve cultural identity.
The workshop also featured interactive discussion sessions, during which students shared their views on ways to limit the spread of content lacking meaningful purpose and discussed possible technological, legal, and educational solutions for promoting higher standards of public discourse on social media platforms.
The workshop concluded with key recommendations, most notably the need to intensify awareness campaigns and training workshops to promote digital literacy, as well as support youth initiatives that produce creative and meaningful content capable of countering waves of superficial thinking and contributing to a safer and more productive digital environment.
The outcomes of the workshop align with the University of Baghdad’s vision for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4: Quality Education, through developing students’ analytical skills, and Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by protecting the social fabric from the negative effects of soft warfare and promoting awareness and social responsibility.
