Experts call for digital literacy to combat fake news
By Ekene Okafor, Lagos
Media and communication experts have reiterated the need for people to be digitally literate in order to combat misinformation and fake news.
The experts made the call during a panel discussion on “Disinformation and Misinformation: The Media in the Age of Discontent” on Friday in Lagos.
The discussion was part of activities organized by iRep, a media organisation, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Nigeria’s Former Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, who was part of the panelist said more people should be educated to be able to identify fake news.
“People should be educated in a manner that when they see a piece of news, they should be able to discern, “can this be true?” Also, once there is any doubt, they should not share.
“However, what happens today is that people get the story, they do not even reflect on it and they share and comment.
“So, there should be media literacy to train people to look at stories to see if it is really plausible and instead of sharing with the click, ponder a bit,” he said.
The former minister said that media literacy should follow fundamental literacy.
He said: “People must be literate to be able to read and write, but the fact that people cannot read and write does not mean they are stupid.
“And that is when we find that most of these fake news and misinformation is actually, largely, by those who have access to the social media, and again, it is about money, traffic.”
Another panelist at the event, a Broadcast Journalist, Ms. Anikeade Funke-Treasure, said people need to take responsibility for the content they share.
“So, we have to, as citizens, see that digital literacy is important for our own economic, social, and emotional wellbeing.
“As a result, we need to begin to interrogate the things, the content that you encounter on social media.
“Also, applying digital literacy to ensure that we do not peddle fake news and that we apply what I would call information integrity in our personal spaces as well,” Funke-Treasure said.
Earlier, one of the organizers of Irep, Mr. Nyu Abu Dhabi, who is a global network Professor said the event in honour of Prof. Wole Soyinka for his contribution to literature and to the younger generation.
“Prof. Wole Soyinka has always been our guiding light and supporter of the project. So this year, we thought since it’s going to be his ninetieth year, its time for us to celebrate him. He also gave us the right to make a film based on demand.
“And so we made the film. The film, telling the story of his life and contribution to literature and arts will be released in July when he officially marks his 90th birthday.
“So what you saw today was just a trailer of that show,” he said.
