Stop the scourge of fake news; journalists must be at the forefront

Opinions on Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Columnist: Afedzi Abdullah |

2020-09-16

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The provision of information in the information age is crucial, but its dissemination comes with a daunting task, as more and more people yearn for more and more information on all platforms and media.

The task has become overwhelming for journalists due to the phenomenon of fake news, misinformation, hoax and misinformation, which are increasing significantly.

This presents a key challenge to media practice, making it more imperative for journalists to worry about taking drastic measures so that authentic news users have confidence that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Scope of the fake news problem in Ghana

Fake news, which knows no borders, has become an integral part of the news ecosystem and is gradually gaining ground in Ghana, particularly in the political sphere, where it is used by politicians as a tool to differentiate opponents in name only to secure power.

A Penplusbytes study of the media perspective on fake news in Ghana in 2018 revealed that the phenomenon is a growing problem in Ghana, yet concluded that the Ghanaian media landscape lacks systems, budget, and trained staff. dedicated to fighting the threat.

Another study looking at mobile journalism and the burgeoning fake news culture in Pakistan and Ghana found that there is an increase in the fake news culture of citizen journalism that is misinforming the media audience in Ghana.

According to a news post on a Ghanaian online portal on January 19, 2019, Ghana’s Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah lamented the growing avalanche of fake news describing it as a threat to journalism and called for urgent action. to control the circulation of fake news. in the country.

One example is the large amount of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, where the correct information the public needs to be safe is distorted through the spread of fake news.

Since Ghana registered its first case of COVID-19 in March this year, several false messages have come out mainly through social media.

Digital technologies, social networks and the dissemination of fake news

The findings of the Penplusbytes study reinforced the challenges of many newsrooms in producing news as more and more digital technologies emerge in addition to social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others.

Social media has been identified as an important conduit for the spread of fake news in Ghana.

According to a recent Afrobarometer survey conducted from September to October 2019, social media is increasingly becoming a common source of news for many Ghanaians.

With the rise of social media, the main surveillance role of traditional media to curb misinformation and ensure authentic content for public consumption is now under siege.

This is simply because the contents of social networks are not limited by editorial decisions. People simply post what they feel like without any limitation.

In his article, The Science of Fake News, Jason Socrates Bardi, the former news director of the American Institute of Physics and a longtime science writer, emphasized the increasing ubiquity of social media and online access.

Furthermore, Dapo Olorunyomi, editor of Premium Time says that the widespread skepticism against journalistic truth in the practice of supplementary journalism should be a great source of concern for all journalists.

This, he lamented, is because the scope of fake news has left many people confused, since they can no longer decipher “the truth that there is because there are doubts about what it really is.”

Mr. Olorunyomi pointed out that in his rush to break the news, some journalists spread inaccurate information and he regretted this practice.

For him, good journalism doesn’t entertain unverified stories or statistics without cross-checking, adding that integrity should boost credibility.

Journalism, he said, is rooted in four core elements of truth and accuracy, verification, independence and accountability for the public good, and underscored the need for media professionals to verify information before publishing it.

By evaluating the evidence in a story to ensure reliability, we can achieve journalistic truth that strengthens the position of our readers, Mr. Olorunyomi affirmed and emphasized that journalistic truth is always provisional and never absolute, which helps readers to have a pragmatic sense of your world. .

Caroline Anipah, editor of Dubawa Ghana, also expressed the fear that journalists risk being manipulated by actors to deceive or corrupt and spread disinformation if they do nothing to tackle the information clutter ecosystem.

Journalists can become the targets of lies, rumors and hoaxes designed to intimidate and discredit them and their work, especially when they expose those who are commissioning or spreading disinformation, he said.

The time for journalists to act is now

The information is such that once it is collected, processed and published, it is impossible to correct and polish it completely, if it is false. This is mainly due to the fact that the audience or information consumers are constantly on the move assimilating other content and may not have the time or interest to follow an old one.

The public may not know the difference between truth and rumor and the journalist’s job as guardians if it is not intensified, it will be meaningless and will create chaotic scenes in society.

Posting credible stories should be of great importance to all the media, especially in this period of COVID-19, where fake news spreads faster than the virus and causes the death of some people who downplay the virus and all protocols security or that they are themselves. -medication, says Jonathan Donkor, journalist for the Ghanaian Times.

According to Jonathan, it is imperative that journalists position themselves as the source the public can trust and help to more deeply draw the fine line between truth and falsehood so that it is not blurred.

In fact, the repercussions of fake news are severe and chaotic for public health, safety and life in general, as people make decisions based on the information at their disposal, he added.

There is hope?

Despite the advent of numerous blogging sites and social media platforms, people still depend on the media to validate news.

“Every time I read any news on social media, or on any of the blogging websites, I try to compare it with that of the mainstream media to convince myself if it is true,” said Isaac Arkoh, GNA Cape Coast journalist. . .

Arkoh’s confession indicates that all hope is not lost and that journalists in the mainstream media have a responsibility to rise to the task of saving their own profession from collapse by fighting the threat of fake news.

Therefore, the responsibility falls on the professionals, whose duty includes informing and educating the public with credible information.

Part of the cross journalists carry is checking not only whether their “Ts” are crossed or dotted, but also whether their stories are not false.

conclusion

Fake news continues to be a growing concern that is gradually creeping deep into the fiber of the mainstream media.

The government and other stakeholders are called upon to take action to address the threat. Journalists must admit that the continued existence of fake news threatens the principles of journalism and, ultimately, the journalistic profession.

Therefore, they should be the ones who worry the most and those who are at the forefront to combat the scourge of fake news to save the image of the profession.