Sheikh Khaled El Gendy, a member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, warned about what he described as the “destruction of public symbols,” arguing that campaigns aimed at discrediting influential figures can affect public awareness.
During an episode of the television program “La'allahom Yafqahoon,” El Gendy said that various groups and public figures can become targets of such campaigns, including scholars, intellectuals, doctors, judges, politicians, and athletes.
Targeting Public Figures and Its Impact on Society
El Gendy said that such campaigns are not necessarily limited to particular individuals or professions, but may extend to different groups whose members have a recognized social, professional, or intellectual role.
He argued that attempts to undermine public figures can weaken confidence in influential voices and reduce the impact of educational and awareness-oriented messages.
Artificial Intelligence and the Spread of Fabricated Content
El Gendy also discussed the rapid development of social media and the growing use of artificial intelligence, saying that these technologies have made digital content more difficult for ordinary users to verify.
Images, videos, and other forms of digital media can now be created or manipulated with increasingly sophisticated tools, making it harder to distinguish authentic material from fabricated content in some cases.
The issue is also connected to the speed at which digital material can spread, allowing misleading or manipulated content to reach large audiences in a short period of time.
Religious Figures Can Also Become Targets
El Gendy said that religious figures can also be targeted by fabricated material, referring to manipulated images and videos involving prominent religious personalities, including imams of the Grand Mosques.
He stressed the importance of verifying digital material rather than assuming that an image or video is authentic simply because it has become widely circulated on social media.
El Gendy: Awareness Is the First Line of Defense
El Gendy urged people to pay close attention to the content they encounter on digital platforms and not to accept everything that circulates online without verification.
He emphasized that awareness is a key means of confronting fabricated content and disinformation campaigns, particularly as digital tools make it easier to create, modify, and distribute media on a large scale.
What does “destruction of public symbols” mean?
It refers to campaigns aimed at damaging the reputation or perceived value of influential public figures and social role models.
Who can be targeted by such campaigns?
The campaigns may involve scholars, intellectuals, doctors, judges, politicians, athletes, religious figures, and other public personalities.
How can artificial intelligence contribute to fabricated content?
AI tools can create or modify images and videos with increasing sophistication, making verification more difficult in some cases.
How should people deal with content shared on social media?
Users should not assume that widely circulated content is authentic and should verify information, images, and videos before accepting or sharing them.
What did Khaled El Gendy emphasize?
He stressed the importance of awareness and careful attention to digital content rather than automatically accepting everything circulated online.
