Fake news totally changes the thoughts and views of people and sometimes it causes an irreversible loss in many ways. Similarly, several fake news has surfaced recently across news and social media declaiming the development of Saudi Arabia.

Some of this news comes from Qatari and Lebanese media source while many are from International channels quoting the unknown source. Some of the news that is circulating on different news channels and social media are mentioned below:

1. The announcement of Eid

Irani media has been speculating that Saudi Arabia adopted the new system for moon sighting after an error in sighting the moon for Eid ul Fitr in 1440. They also claim that the Saudi government paid more than SR 1.6 billion in Fidya to compensate for it.

2. Saad Hariri’s movement

The news was published that Saad Hariri movement is restricted in Saudi Arabia that even he is under investigation. Saad Hariri is a Lebanese-Saudi Politician and the ex-Prime Minister of Lebanon.

This was fake news that was published the real fact is he is not restricted but free to move around as confirmed by French Foreign Minister Yves Le Drian. Earlier Hariri was received by King Salman and him also ambassador. He even traveled to Abu Dhabi and met Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

3. Hariri’s plane returned to Beirut from Riyadh without him

The fact is Hariri’s plane did not visit Riyadh at all. His plane returned directly from France.

4. Guards seized Hariri’s phone and his aides from inside his private plane 

The fact behind this was Hariri traveled to Riyadh on a regular flight in a commercial plane.

5. Bank accounts

The news was aired that bank accounts of around 2,000 people have been frozen.

It was revealed that the number of people who are being questioned has been put a couple of hundreds, according to the statement of the Attorney General.

6. Around 500 people were arrested

Attorney General in his statement on Thursday announced that 208 people were being arrested while seven of them have been released.

7. The money involved in Corruption investigation

The fake news was the amount of money involved in corruption investigation was $2 trillion but the fact was the total amount involved for investigation was $100 billion. Said by Attorney General.

8. PRIVATE COMPANIES

100 of private companies were seized and their employees were dismissed. The fact publicized by Attorney General Statement was Business is continuing as usual and only personal accounts were suspended

9. Saudi stock market

This was a false news that the Saudi stock market has collapsed. On the contrary, the market witnessed a rise and reacted positively to the anti-corruption drive and the promotion of the values of transparency.

10. What is going on is a power struggle?

The fact is there is a total consensus in the Kingdom and there is no challenge to the current establishment and power structure.

Unfortunately, journalism got black sheep who break false news, write a biased column, and put forward a selective point of view which is lethal and destructive. Sometimes it is a technical mistake or lack of proper information.

Media houses should look more deeply into this and take proper steps to end publishing and airing of false news which can help us build a better world.

Source: Al Arabiya