The Social Media has become an inexhaustible pit of fabrication and false news. It makes it easier, of course, that some virtual activists circulate such news as facts.
They base entire analyses and positions on these supposed facts, even though much of it is baseless.
Not long ago, social media platforms exploded with news on an attempted coup in Jordan.
It was made significantly worse when foreign traditional media outlets based their whole narratives and reports on it, also at face value, as fact.
Meanwhile, Israeli media look for openings like these; footings to infiltrate the domestic frontier and stir public opinion. Even though many know for fact that Israel has a role in most of the fabricated gibberish, they still do not hesitate when circulating it.
Just days ago, numerous pages on Facebook circulated slanderous, fabricated news about a prince of the Jordanian royal family. And even though the title itself was too obvious a hoax, many clicked on it to read it.
So many have taken it seriously, commenting and discussing it as if it were really true!
Mindfully, this is not the first time Jordan faces this sort of smearing campaigns in the past century since its establishment. We have been through many a ground-breaking conspiracy, both domestic and foreign, seeking to topple the state and incite feud among Jordanians.
There were even foreign military and political operations to topple the regime and destabilise the Kingdom, and all of them failed. None of them, however, involved a member of the royal family, mind you.
Three decades have passed since the late King Hussein bin Talal replaced his brother, Prince Hassan, with King Abdullah II as his heir apparent, and the world has yet to forget that pivoting moment in our modern history.
Despite the magnitude of the event and its massive implications, it took only a few hours for His Majesty and Prince Hassan to consolidate their stand, and behind them an entire nation.
Proud and unwavering, Prince Hassan stood by the King and Protector of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, preserving its deep rooted customs, without a single breach of protocol.
This state of Jordan is almost one hundred years old soon, and it is definitely not the trans state the world may have once thought it was. It rose as part of an Arab renaissance project, and it was not made to fall into the turmoil of tribes and families fighting to rule, No! It was realised as a state with a leadership that has set in motion a new era for the entire Arab nation.
Unfortunately, the colonial powers seeking to carve the region out conspired to break this state and its leadership’s aspirations. Against all odds, the state stood its ground in Jordan and remained loyal to the founding fathers’ promise.
Jordan’s entire foundation was formulated by Arab and Jordanian leading figures of the pan-nationalist movement, who —themselves— elected the Hashemites’ leadership.
Sadly, the people of the virtual world, so charged with hate, ignorance and prejudice, take history at face value and build their narratives on fabricated news.
One fabricated post can stir a days-long debate without a single person ever questioning the authenticity, credibility and accuracy of the information it presents. Let alone think about it.
This fabrication trend, truth be told, will not be our downfall, by far.
Jordan is not a frail house of cards that it can be toppled by a whisper, so make no mistake. We have been through the most trying circumstances and succeeded, unscathed.
I question, however, the susceptibility and gullibility of those activists, who believe such obvious lies and fall prey to malicious propaganda.
It is sad, really, nothing more!
Technology has made information accessible, all around, as well as simple and easy to learn.
Still, we engage in senseless debates over baseless rumours and lies, drawn to it, like moths to the fire!
This article is an edited translation of the Arabic version, published by AlGhad.
