Prof. Dr. Fatima Elzahraa Elsayed

Cairo University, Egypt

 Short Bio:

 Dr Fatma Elzahraa M. Elsayed is currently serving in Journalism Department of Mass Communication Faculty at Cairo University and served as the head of journalism department of mass communication faculty at Al- Ahram Canadian University (ACU) in Cairo 2015/2016. Elsayed worked for 10 semesters in KAU and KSU universities in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2008-2013) and 4 semesters in Cairo University (2013-2015). The main scope of her specialty is electronic journalism and conducted 8 research; two of them have been rewarded in 2008 and 2012 during the annual scientific conference of mass communication faculty. Elsayed is a regular member of IAMCR, AEJMC, and AREACORE academic associations. Dr Elsayed has made several contributions to international communication conferences.

 Keynote Topic: Media Issues or Existential Threats?

 Among all the undeniable facts that we live in, there is one fact that makes the time we are currently living in the most challenging to humanity, both physically and morally. On the moral side, a person’s gender identity is vulnerable to deviation without logical or scientific justification. Physically, human existence is exposed to unfair competition with robots, whose invasion extended from the industrial sector to the cognitive and creative field. The fact that must be identified and confronted is that the exponential advancement of digital technology in media, instead of contributing to spreading knowledge and constructing an enlightened society, and then consolidating the values of democracy, freedom, and justice, can be a direct trigger of spreading ignorance, fanaticism, hatred and tearing societies apart. There is no winner or loser in this confrontation. The entire humanity is at risk of losing its intellectual distinction, as well as its very physical existence. This speech sheds light on, but is not limited to, some issues in this context, including: – The dramatic and non-stop transformations of the definitions of the basic elements of communication process and the nature of the relationships that link them. The environment in which these elements operate, and repercussions on their fluidity. What are challenges associated with this reality in the field of media education and communication research? – Algorithmic hegemony of social networks, and the uncontrolled and unmonitored consequences of this hegemony on the psychological, social, ethical, and cognitive aspects of users. – The comprehensive censorship and surveillance of human activity through networks and other means of communication is a real threat to transforming the global system into authoritarian tyrannical capitalism