Staff Writer
UNESCO Regional adviser for Communication and Information Al-amin Yusuph says disinformation is a key challenge that the media faces in the digital age.
Addressing a workshop for Zimbabwe Online Content Creators Yusuph said disinformation can undermine democracy, erode social cohesion and incite violence.
“Disinformation is false or misleading information that is spread deliberately or unintentionally to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.
“Therefore, as content creators you have a responsibility to counter disinformation by verifying facts, exposing lies, correcting errors and providing context in your work.
“Ensuring that all information disseminated is sourced from reliable and official sources is also essential for quality journalism. Reliable sources are those that are credible, authoritative, transparent and accountable,” Yusuph said in a speech read on his behalf by Ingrid Tagwireyi.
He said addressing hate speech was another important aspect of responsible journalism.
“Hate speech is any form of expression that incites hatred, discrimination or violence against a person or group based on their identity, such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender or political affiliation.
“Hate speech can violate human rights, fuel conflict and threaten peace.
“As content creators you should refrain from using or amplifying hate speech in your work and challenge it whenever it occurs,” he said.
The National Media Forum for online content creators, which aims to foster dialogue, collaboration and professionalism on issues of disinformation and hate speech on online platforms.
During the recent elections, online platforms were used by citizens to receive information on the elections.
The media has the responsibility to provide accurate, balanced and impartial coverage of critical issues including on online platforms.
“We urge you to go through the social media guidelines available on the UNESDOC digital library,” he said.
About Author
