Fake news and associated vices like disinformation, misinformation, mal-information, lies, hate speech, conspiracies, planting of stories that can negatively affect the outcome of the forthcoming elections can be effectively curbed if media houses can stick to professional ethics of the business and set up fact-checking desks among others.
Professor Umar Pate, the Vice Chancellor Federal University of Kashere, Gombe state, made this revelation at the Election Disinformation Conference held in Abuja on Tuesday where he was the keynote speaker.
Speaking on the theme; “ Nigeria’s 2023 Elections: Curbing information disorder”, he said information can be used to undermine the quality of the election and once the process is poisoned, the consequences will not be favourable to us all.
What Professor Pate is saying
Prof Pate defined an election as an exciting societal event which contributes to peaceful coexistence and system endurance.
- He said “Irrespective of existing guidelines, ethical codes and professional roadmap about election coverage and reportage, one can expect breaches and violations from multiple sources for many reasons.”
- Speaking further he said “Such breaches could come as disinformation, misinformation, mal-information, lies, fake news, hate speech, conspiracies, planting of stories, etc.
- “The inter and intra party exchanges and contestations in the political arena will dominate media content.”
- He said in order to curb information disorder in the upcoming election, “Fact-checking processes/desk should be established and promoted in media houses and also there should be adherence to professional and ethical codes like the Broadcasting Code.
- “Professional engagement of the media with politicians, civil society organizations, institutions and agencies involved with elections.
- “The media should be more confident in investigating the conduct of politicians, fulfilment of promises by incumbents, behaviour of institutions like the Police, INEC, and specific allegations of malpractices and other such negative acts.
In his recommendations, he urged the media to explain complex terms in order to simplify them and not to delete stories with errors but offer corrections for their audience/readers.
He also said media literacy should be promoted and there should be collaboration and cooperation among media houses.
He warned journalists to be very careful and conscious of sources and Uphold investigative and data-driven journalism.
What you should know
- The misinformation conference was organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovations and Development (CJID) in collaboration with the Nigerian Fact checkers Coalition.
- The event brought together various actors in the election process which include: INEC, National Orientation agency, political party representatives, security agencies, civil society organisations, media organizations and the representative of election observers/ monitoring groups.
