The Impact of Counterfeit Media on GCC Economy and Relations

This report investigates the growing problem of counterfeit media and fake news within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, examining its profound effects on the region's economy and international relations. It begins by outlining the crucial role of media in shaping public opinion and disseminating information, while acknowledging the vulnerabilities that allow for the spread of misinformation. The report identifies the problem statement, which highlights the prevalence of counterfeit media in the GCC due to various political, economic, and social factors, including limited freedom of speech and vested interests. The research objectives are to analyze the contributing factors, assess the extent of fake news, observe the relationship between media and crises, identify the involved parties, and suggest solutions. A literature review explores how counterfeit media is used to serve political interests and the role of social media in exacerbating the issue. The research methodology involves collecting primary data through interviews with media and government personnel, along with secondary data from academic sources. The report concludes with an example of an interview, showcasing insights on the impact of fake news and potential strategies to address the problem.

Running head: THE IMPACT OF COUNTERFEIT MEDIA ON THE ECONOMY AND
RELATIONS OF GCC COUNTRIES
The Impact of Counterfeit Media on the Economy and Relations of GCC Countries
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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THE IMPACT OF COUNTERFEIT MEDIA ON THE ECONOMY AND RELATIONS OF
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Problem Statement.....................................................................................................................2
Research Objectives...................................................................................................................3
Preliminary Literature Review...................................................................................................4
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................4
Research Methodology...............................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................6
Interview Responses...................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Media, has always been one of the most powerful tools for facilitating
communication, sharing public opinions and also in influencing the opinions and perceptions
of people regarding various aspects of global as well a country specific economies, societies,
cultures, politics and other domains. With international phenomena like Globalisation,
liberalisation as well as technological and infrastructural progresses, the world has become
more inclusive, integrated and interconnected, thereby indicating towards the fact that the
economic, social and political dynamics of one country have considerable impacts on other
countries (Gerbaudo, 2018). The media plays a considerably crucial role in this scenario,
acting as the medium for information dissemination and awareness generation among people.
However, with the increasing power of media, the loopholes of the same can also be seen to
be becoming more prominent. Keeping this into consideration, the concerned research
proposes to study one such loopholes, of that of increasing problem of counterfeit or false
media and the impacts of the same in economy as well as relations of the Gulf Cooperation
Council countries in the recent periods.
Problem Statement
In the contemporary period, the problem of counterfeit media and fake news
circulation across the globe have become issues of immense concern among the governments
as well as common population across the world. The problem, however, can be seen to be
increasingly prevalent in the Gulf countries or the Middle Eastern countries, where both the
frequency of fake news and the magnitude of its implications can be seen to be considerably
high. Counterfeit media has been an uprising problem in these areas due to the presence of
various political and business lobbies and interest groups, lack of freedom of speech in
reality, exogenous and endogenous pressures as well as due to the presence of huge economic

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and commercial interests of the news media as well as other discrete people, behind creation
of such news and generating false perceptions, ideas and outrages among population of the
countries. Increasing usage of social media, in the contemporary period has aggravated the
magnitude of the problem manifold. These increasing issues of counterfeit media are
expected to have considerable impacts, not only on the population of the countries, but also
on the economic, social, political and international relations of these countries, who in
general, tend to remain in state of high political instability and also experience frequent war
and social tensions. This, thus indicates towards the need for research and discussions in
these aspects, especially to analyse the impacts of counterfeit media on the economies and
relations of the GCC countries in particular.
Research Objectives
Keeping into consideration the above discussion about the rising issue of concern of
counterfeit media in the GCC countries and its implications, the primary objectives of the
proposed research can be seen to be as follows:
 To analyse and examine the factors which have contributed to the weaknesses of the
media, especially in the Gulf countries in the contemporary period
 To examine the extent, magnitude and nature of the uprising problem of fake news
and counterfeit media in the GCC countries
 To observe the relation between media, their operations and actions and the periodical
social, political and economic crisis in the Gulf countries and to analyse the
contribution of counterfeit media in these aspects
 To analyse the participants in these counterfeit media and fake news and the people
getting affected by the same

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 To suggest the means to address these issues and solutions to the problems of
counterfeit media and fake news in the GCC countries in the contemporary period
Preliminary Literature Review
As per the assertions of Jones & Baym (2013), media in the contemporary period
(both print as well as non-print ones like television and now social media) play immensely
crucial and outstanding roles in creating public opinions and also in shaping of policies,
society and is one of the most powerful arms of democracy and human rights in the
contemporary period. Vivian & Maurin (2012), in this context, suggest that over the years,
media has played the role of a watchdog in the aspects of protection of the interests of
commoners and population in generation and in the aspects of creation of public awareness
about the events and phenomena of significance happening across the globe.
Literature Review
In the contemporary period, the phenomenon of counterfeit media has been becoming
an issue of increasing concern in the Gulf countries. As per the assertions of Al-Saggaf &
Simmons (2015), the fake news and counterfeit practices in media have been increasingly
used in these countries, primarily as an instrument for catering to the vested political interests
of influential lobbies. In this context, Gunter & Dickinson (2013), highlight that counterfeit in
media in these countries are primarily of two types:
 The fake news which are circulated by the governments and the media associated with
them, for their own vested political and economic interests
 The fake news which are circulated and posted by exogenous people by infiltrating or
hacking channels or media unethically
Samuel-Azran (2013), assert that in the contemporary period, the journalists also
work under the pressure of creating headlines and in such situations missing a news feed may

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cost them their jobs, which also leads to increasing counterfeit media. Keeping this into
consideration, the research proposes to analyse the impacts of such counterfeit media on the
economy and relations of the GCC countries.
Research Methodology
For the purpose of analysing the impacts of fake or counterfeit media on the economy
as well as on the relations of the GCC countries, in the contemporary period, the concerned
research proposes to collect both primary as well as secondary data from relevant sources.
For primary data, interviews will be conducted with relevant media and government
personnel in the countries and secondary data will be collected from authentic sources like
journals, articles and other literary sources (Panneerselvam, 2014).
The quantitative data will be analysed using the statistical software SPSS and for
analysis of qualitative data, thematic analysis will be done.

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References
Al-Saggaf, Y., & Simmons, P. (2015). Social media in Saudi Arabia: Exploring its use during
two natural disasters. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 95, 3-15.
Gerbaudo, P. (2018). Tweets and the streets: Social media and contemporary activism. Pluto
Press.
Gunter, B., & Dickinson, R. (Eds.). (2013). News media in the Arab world: A study of 10
Arab and Muslim countries. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Jones, J. P., & Baym, G. (2013). News parody in global perspective: Politics, power, and
resistance. In News Parody and Political Satire Across the Globe (pp. 13-24).
Routledge.
Panneerselvam, R. (2014). Research methodology. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd..
Samuel-Azran, T. (2013). Al-Jazeera, Qatar, and new tactics in state-sponsored media
diplomacy. American Behavioral Scientist, 57(9), 1293-1311.
Vivian, J., & Maurin, P. J. (2012). The media of mass communication. Pearson Canada.

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Interview Responses
One interview is attached as an example of the interviews which the research intends
to conduct:
Q.1 What is the role of media in the GCC countries?
Media is one of the most crucial weapons which we have in our hand which talks
about the different issues which are taking place in the country and across the world and it
also talks about our rights and what we should be aware of.
Q.2 Are you aware of counterfeit media or fake media problems in the GCC countries?
Yes. The recent Qatar crisis was caused by such fake news. Many other negative and
non-desirable events have occurred due to spreading of fake news and I believe that has been
harming us considerably.
Q.3 What affects do fake news have in the economy and relations of the countries?
Fake news has created war, unrest and social as well political tensions in our
countries. I believe that much of the wars and social tensions among these counties are
created or driven by this news, which are created for own benefits of several people with
huge power.
Q.4 Have you encountered the problem of fake news?
Yes. The Qatar crisis has a lot to do with fake news circulation and its aftermath. I
personally saw how rapidly the fake news spread and how much negative attention it
garnered by manipulating the mindsets of people.
Q.5 What do you suggest for combatting the problems?

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I think the government should be less influencing in the aspects of manipulating
media and media should have the freedom to spread true news and information such that
people are not influenced wrongly. Also, I think, surveillance should be increased in the
aspects of security of the media channels and to reduce the problems of hacking and
spreading of wrong information.