The Mediterranean Digital Media Observatory (MedDMO), a regional hub of the European Digital Media Observatory, is an alliance of fact-checkers, media literacy experts and scientists taking a coordinated approach to fighting disinformation-narratives.
This disinformation about migration in Malta often stems from malicious sources seeking to manipulate public opinion. Thus, in November 2024, MedDMO drafted a report, which looked into several instances of disinformation surrounding the issue in 2024.
The goal is to raise public awareness about the importance of verifying information sources, as disinformation fuels negative prejudices and stereotypes against migrants, creating a climate of suspicion and hostility. It also influences policies, which seize upon these false claims to support their agendas.
The working group collected nine instances demonstrating the falsehood of some claims made even by public officials. MedDMO has highlighted numerous cases of disinformation. For instance, the Maltese Minister of the Interior, Byron Camilleri, claimed that NGO search and rescue operations attract migrants to Europe. However, the Times of Malta reported that this claim is largely, if not entirely, false, as evidence generally refutes it.
These sources exploit the legitimate concerns of citizens regarding immigration to sow discord and distrust. Social media plays a crucial role in the rapid spread of this false information, amplifying its impact.
The report mentions an example collected in August 2023, of a Facebook post claiming that foreign residents outnumbered Maltese residents, bringing the total “population to over 800 000”. But the study was nowhere to be found, the claim was false.
Another Facebook post claimed that Malta's population had “reached 717 000 inhabitants”, citing the National Statistic Office. But that was not possible, as data showed otherwise. In fact, official data indicated that the population was “around 563 000 inhabitants”.
The report is available here :
And for more information :
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