The Ghanaian media has been tasked to carry the public along in the fight against misinformation/disinformation.
Lead fact-checker at FactSpace West Africa Rabiu Alhassan argued that tackling misinformation is a collective responsibility thus, the public should be involved in countering it.
He said while it is important that the media counter false narratives and present the public with verified information, it should also educate and empower the general public to aid in tackling the phenomenon.
“I think the media has the responsibility of ensuring that their platforms are not weaponized but beyond that the media has to also ensure they are prime in educating the public about some of these things,” he stated.
“When the public is well educated about these things then you know you will be making the needed impact in ensuring that these things do not become problematic for everybody. The media definitely has a role to play and the public also have to be well educated to ensure it is not just something that’s left for the media but together we can make the needed impact”.
Rabiu said this while noting the tendency for political players to spread false narratives through social media in advancing their ambitions ahead of Ghana’s parliamentary and presidential elections in December.
In order to prevent the masses from consuming such misinformation/disinformation, Rabiu stated that there is the need for stakeholders to step up their game in countering such false narratives.
He, therefore, called on government to ensure that internet companies especially those operating social media platforms in the country put in measures to prevent their platforms from being weaponized.
Rabiu Alhassan said this in an interview on Breakfast News on Dreamz FM in commemoration of this year’s International Fact-checking Day.
The day, which is marked on April 2 annually, recognises the vital work of fact-checkers worldwide in upholding facts and the crucial role of accurate information in an interconnected world.
The theme for this year’s celebration is; #FactsMatter in building a more informed and resilient society, emphasis the need for credible information.
With Ghana heading to the polls in few months time, there couldn’t be a better theme.
