Executive director of FactSpace West Africa Mr. Rabiu Alhasan has challenged media practitioners especially journalists to act diligently as a first line of defense in tackling misinformation and Disinformation especially before, during and after the December 7 general election.
Mr. Rabiu Alhasan, made the call at a Media Integrity and Fact-Checking Training Workshop held by FactSpace West Africa an IFCN- verified fact-checking organization as part of its focus on combating the weaponization of Misinformation and Disinformation.
Speaking to Ultimate News on the sidelines of the training, he expressed worry that the media has found itself among the list of institutions spreading misinformation and disinformation, a recent case being a morning show host who was arrested by the police for deliberately broadcasting fake news about a change in dates and arrangement for the 2024 elections.
He warned if the media allow their platforms to be used as a conveyor belt of Disinformation and misinformation, the beauty, sanctity and peacefulness of the elections could be brought into jeopardy.
““Journalists should rise to the occasion in the electioneering period and refuse to be used as conveyer belts for misinformation and disinformation. In more ways than one, that could ultimately help us safeguard our democracy,” he admonished.
Fact Checking Tools:
The training was extremely beneficial as journalists were exposed to cutting edge tools that could support newsrooms to fact-check multimedia content.
Participants had a practical feel of digital tools including google Images,Tineye,InVID video verification, Forensic, Way back Machine and a host of other platforms that could be utilized to help minimize the rampant recirculation of disinformation and misinformation.
The training emphasized the need for practitioners to foster trust between the media and the heterogeneous audience in a bid to clear the 4th estate, from the lost credibility and ill sentiments of the public.
Encouraging the trainees Rabiu Alhasan stated, “We want the trained journalists here to go back to their newsrooms as fact checkers and serve as the first line of defense in tackling misinformation and disinformation
Cyber Security Concerns
Mr.Kwaku Sarpong Manu, a cyber security expert at the National Cyber security Authority (CSA), reiterated the need for journalists to be conscious of malicious information that could slither through media wires to cause unrest.
He stressed the need for media practitioners to be properly tooled to decode and neutralize them before they hit the public.
He pointed out, “While we feed on social media for our information and updates, it is important that we ensure that the narratives that are pushed out there are accurate and will not stir tensions locally,”
“We also need to ensure that while the elections are going on, other supporting systems are also live and can be expected to function with very minimal down time,” he noted.
Journalists who participated in this exercise related to their renewed alertness in their use of social media and how careful they will be, in sharing content they find online.
“It was really interesting that we used tools to debunk certain pictures in the media concerning the president’s purported amorous relationships and several other damning matters that the media discussed as credible. Going into a crucial election I will be more alert,” a participant told reporter Emmanuel Anyam.
“IT’S not just because elections are approaching but the point is that we need to feed people with right, correct, verified and fact checked information. FactSpace West Africa and their partners from CDD Ghana and the Cyber Security Authority have really helped us with these tools that positions us in a better stead to verify the source, credibility and authenticity of pictures, videos and websites in our line of work,” a journalist with the multimedia group, Patricia Ama Bonsu noted.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Emmanuel Anyam
