Some Journalists in the Western Region have been taken through a two-day training on fact-checking and digital verification tools to help in ending information disorder in newsrooms. Information disorder, commonly referred to as ‘fake news’ is gradually gaining grounds with the advent of new media which required urgent response and actions particularly among newsrooms to avert any unhealthy eventualities. The Journalists have therefore been tasked to scrutinize trends of information, do proper fact-checking and verification both through Traditional and digital media in curbing the spread of such unverified information that could misinform, malinform or disinform. Mrs Caroline Anipah, the Country lead for Dubawa Ghana, initiators of the programme took journalists through the information disorder ecosystem and the need for journalists to be wary of the use of information disorder -fake news by sections of the public to perpetuate an agenda and the need for media houses to be critical in their information consumption and disorder so as to avoid spreading such news. The Journalists were taken through Satire, misleading content, imposter, sensationalism, false content, manipulation, and fabricated content as some common forms of information disorders. She said journalists must begin to care about the effects of information disorder since it can cause censorship, bad actors use as manipulative tools, targeting to lie and create false news. Mr Nathan Gadugah, the Editor of Dubawa Ghana pointed out that fact checking had become even more imperative on the part of the Journalists so as not to fall into the band wagon of information disorder syndrome. Ms Maxine Danso took Journalists through digital verification tools that could aid in avoiding the spread of information disorder in the country to avert consequences associated with such news articles.
Source: Ghana News Agency
