Covid-19 contain genetic materials that alter human DNA. There have also been fake announcements promising financial assistance to those affected by Covid-19 (AFP Fact Check 2020b). These instances of misinformation, and many more, caused panic and negatively affected the Arab world’s response to the pandemic, including people’s willingness to get vaccinated. Mis- and disinformation not only circulate over social media platforms and traditional media outlets, but also dominate people’s conversations in cafes, at home, and at workplaces. Even political figures and decision makers have contributed to circulating misinformation. This has made it hard to counter the spread of the virus, with the result that it will take longer to overcome the pandemic. The Arab world has thus been led to an encounter with another type of dangerous epidemic—that is, an “infodemic.” This is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “too much information including false or misleading information in digital and physical environments during a disease outbreak. It causes confusion and risk-taking behaviours that can harm health” (WHO n.d.). Conspiracy theories and disinformation about Covid-19, as mentioned above, are just a few examples of the extent of the infodemic. Other instances include the disinformation that spread in the Arab world after the murder of French teacher Samuel Paty by a hardline Islamist on October 16, 2020, and the killing of three people in a terrorist attack inside the Notre Dame Basilica on October 29, 2020, increasing sectarian tensions among Muslims around the world. Misleading news was disseminated about the perpetrators of the attacks, about reactions against France in the world, about violations against Muslims in France, and so on (AFP Fact Check 2020a). To take another example, in Lebanon, mis- and disinformation spread via social media platforms, especially WhatsApp, during the revolution of October 17, 2019. The unprecedented protests against the Lebanese political system and systemic corruption were accompanied by various types of fake news that misled both the public and the media. Reports and documents disseminated included a fake version of the government reform paper and a fake list containing the names of the incoming ministers. There were fake reports declaring a state of emergency, copying decision makers’ voices and misleading the public with false statements. Photos were edited in order to incite viewers. These fake news items affected the course of the popular movement, encouraged violence on the streets, and spread panic amongst the Lebanese people (Maharat Foundation I N FO R M ATI O N D I SO R D ER IN THE GLOBA L SOUTH 2020). Fake news continues to be disseminated in the context of the ongoing economic and financial crisis in the country. In Iraq, a scathing sectarian rhetoric spread on social media sites in 2020 after rumors circulated about the arrest of the owner of a car loaded with explosives in the Shiite-majority Dhi Qar region. The rumors alleged that this person had come from the Sunni-majority city of Tikrit.1 Notwithstanding the countless examples of misand disinformation in the region, the Arab world has not been completely taken in by this. Many organizations and initiatives, despite their work being limited and recent, have combated and continue to combat the spread of mis- and disinformation. Such initiatives have come about despite the lack of research regarding information disorder and its causes and effects in the Arab world and the impact and viability of these entities and initiatives, how they operate, and their approaches. The types of mis- and disinformation targeted by these initiatives are not limited to a single context; among other areas, they cover the political, economic, social, security, health, cultural, artistic, sports, and technological sectors. The Arab region has witnessed many crises and upheavals in recent years, especially since the Arab Spring in 2011, including revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, and Libya. This is in addition to regime changes, significant elections, and economic crises such as the one in Lebanon. The most recent in the series of crises is the Covid-19 pandemic, which was ongoing at the time of writing. This exploratory study was carried out by Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) through the Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN), in cooperation with the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa. It aims to identify the efforts, at all levels, that have been made to counter information disorder in twenty-two Arab countries and to identify the key actors in this area. The study explores the nature of these efforts to combat information disorder, where they are undertaken, and the institutions responsible—their objectives, approaches and methodologies, and the challenges they face. In addition, we studied the environment in which these entities and responses operate, especially in relation to freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of the press, and the right to access information. The study also explores the gaps that remain, to identify areas that should be targeted in future to limit the impact of information disorder. Middle East and North Africa – 26