ake News in the Moroccan Digital Sphere: An Analytical Study of Disinformation Discourse During Generation Z Protests (2025) as a Case Study

Abstract

This paper examines the phenomenon of fake news in the Moroccan digital sphere through an analytical case study of its presence during the so-called “Generation Z protests” in 2025, a moment characterized by intensive circulation of visual and textual content on social media. The study starts from a theoretical framework that defines fake news and distinguishes it from misinformation and disinformation, in light of Arab and international literature on “information disorder” in the digital age. It also highlights the specific features of Generation Z and its news consumption patterns, which rely heavily on social platforms.

The research adopts a descriptive–analytical methodology, based on a case study of a qualitative sample of digital content circulated during the protests. It proposes a typology of deceptive practices (recycled content, out-of-context reuse, fabricated official statements, emotional and sensational framing), and analyses the reasons for their spread in the Moroccan context, especially the lack of media and digital literacy, the occasional slowness of institutional communication, and the emotional nature of protest moments. The paper discusses the individual, social and institutional impacts of fake news, and outlines the main features of the Moroccan legal framework regulating digital publishing. It concludes that combating fake news requires a multidimensional approach combining media and digital literacy, transparent institutional communication, balanced legal measures, and the development of “digital citizenship” among younger generations.