An editor of Dubawa Ghana, Nathan Gadugah, has urged the public to be mindful of the kind of information they consume and share, stressing that the quality of information people receive determines the quality of decisions they make.
He said in the current information age, people depended heavily on information to make decisions about governance, business, relationships and everyday activities, and when such information was false or misleading, it could result in poor decisions and harmful consequences.
This, he said, made it crucial for citizens, particularly young people and students who were active on social media, to understand the dangers of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.
Mr Gadugah was speaking at a seminar dubbed, “Think Before You Share” campaign, a media literacy advocacy initiative by the University of Ghana aimed at equipping students with the skills to identify and resist false information online.
The initiative seeks to raise awareness of misinformation and equip students with practical skills to identify and counter false information circulating online.
It also aims to encourage responsible use of social media and promote critical thinking among young people.
Information age
Mr Gadugah said society had entered an era where access to information was easier than ever due to the growth of the Internet and social media platforms.
He explained that while the availability of information had created opportunities for people to stay informed, it had also increased the circulation of false and misleading content.
Using everyday examples, he said people relied on information when making important decisions such as voting in elections, purchasing products or forming opinions about public issues.
“When you receive quality information, you make quality decisions.
When you receive poor information, you make poor decisions,” he said.
Impact on democracy, institutions
Mr Gadugah said persistent exposure to false information could reduce public trust in state institutions.
He explained that when misleading narratives about institutions such as electoral bodies, government agencies and the media circulate repeatedly, it could cause people to lose confidence in those institutions.
Mr Gadugah said organisations such as Dubawa were working to counter misinformation through fact-checking.
He explained that fact-checking involved verifying claims circulating in the media and on social platforms, and publishing evidence-based findings to correct false narratives.
