Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Sawab Centre launches campaign to report Daesh twitter accounts


gulfnews.com

True citizenship is maintaining vigilant eyes, watchful of safety and security of our nations and peoples, Sawab Centre post says
Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: Sawab Centre, a platform combating Daesh online propaganda and recruitment, has launched a campaign encouraging users of social media site Twitter to report content and users spreading Daesh propaganda.
“True citizenship is maintaining a vigilant eye, watchful of the safety and security of our nations and peoples,” Sawab posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
“#Daesh is a terrorist organization. Do not hesitate to report those who support it, propagate its message, or sympathize with it, even if they’re the closest to you. #CampaignToReportDaeshSupporters”
In an infographic posted on Sawab’s Twitter account (@sawabcenter), the process of reporting Daesh accounts on Twitter is explained in six steps. First, the tweet containing Daesh propaganda is navigated to, then by clicking through the “More” icon, select the “Report” option. From the list of possible reasons why the tweet should be reported, select “It’s abusive or harmful”. After this, you will be asked to provide additional information about the tweet you’re reporting: click on “involves harassment or violence” if applicable.
The infographic released by Sawab could not be viewed easily except by zooming in on a small smartphone screen, and since Sawab’s Twitter following currently numbers just over 7,000 Twitter users, it means that their online efforts still have some way to go.
A comment from Sawab Centre was not immediately available.
Sawab Centre, a joint initiative between the UAE government and the United States, aims to combat Daesh’s social media presence, counteracting its message with its own message of tolerance and, according to its mission statement, “amplify those many moderate voices that too often get drowned out by the noise of the extremists”.
Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, Vice Chancellor of UAE University, told Gulf News Sawab was indicative of the UAE’s commitment towards the international community to seriously combat terrorism
“By tackling the problem of online radicalisation, the Sawab Centre contributes to reclaiming the online space from the extremists, fighting their propaganda and drying up their resources,” said Dr Al Nuaimi, also chairman of Hedayah Centre, an Abu Dhabi-based think tank studying the roots of extremism and terrorism.
Dr Al Nuaimi said the Sawab Centre builds on and links into the various other counter-extremism initiatives that have been initiated in the UAE in recent years, including the Hedayah Centre to Counter Violent Extremism and the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies. These initiatives demonstrate the UAE’s strong and enduring commitment to a moderate and tolerant society that is deeply rooted in the UAE’s history and traditions, where extremism has no place and no future.
The centre to counter online propaganda of terrorist organisation Daesh was launched by Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Federal National Council Affairs, and Richard Stengel, US Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, in Abu Dhabi last month.
The Sawab Centre aims to counter online messages, propaganda and recruitment by Daesh. The centre is a joint online engagement initiative, in support of the Global Coalition Against Daesh. The word ‘Sawab’ in Arabic signifies “doing the right thing” or being on the “right path”.
Sawab seeks to give a voice to the millions of Muslims and others around the world that stand united against the terrorism and falsehood propagated by Daesh.
The centre uses online communication and social media tools to put things in the right perspective and to amplify those moderate voices that regularly get drowned out by the noise of the extremists. Through its online engagement, the Sawab Centre counters the false claims and religious misinterpretations that are being propagated by Daesh and will seek to engage with those vulnerable online communities that are an easy prey for Daesh recruiters.
The Sawab Centre works with governments in the region and around the world, including from the 63-country coalition that is confronting Daesh.
The Sawab Centre also works with religious leaders, organisations, businesses and youth in order to amplify their voices, challenge Daesh’s doctrine of hate and intolerance, and to highlight and demonstrate the true values and diversity of Islam.

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