How do we solve a problem like misinformation?
Hacks/Hackers Freetown looks at ways to stop the spread of dodgy news in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone is no stranger to the perils of “fake news” and the March election provided plenty of opportunities for fact checkers to fight the spread of misinformation online, especially on social media.
The media in Sierra Leone plays a strategic and important role in shaping media practitioners for efficient delivery of service. Its growth, according to the 2015 State of the Media report, has been hindered and affected by not conducive environment that stifles freedom, investment and representation of diverse voices.
To help tackle some of these issues, the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG-SL) has been created. Its mandate includes mapping the capacity needs of the media. It is against this backdrop that the MRCG-SL is pursuing intentional reforms in media regulation, media education and a free press among others. It is hoped that if these reforms are achieved our vision of a credible, economically viable, well-focused and inclusive media in Sierra Leone will be achieved.
Most news and discussion, however, doesn’t take place via journalism portals: social media dominates the spread of information, misinformation and disinformation. As Tonya Musa, Head of the Mass Communication Department at the University of Sierra Leone, says:
Discussions surrounding politicians, socio economic concerns, political and cultural concerns that hinges on the development of Sierra Leone are all expounded on [social media].
To help improve media literacy, Code for Sierra Leone organised a Hack/Hackers Freetown (#HHFNA) session to discuss this important topic ahead of the March elections. The session was led by citizenry engagement enthusiast and Mandela Washington Fellow Mulku Sulaiman Bangura.
The venue was packed full with excited participants who felt the strong importance and need for this topic in question. The session pointed out the various forms of media channels in the traditional and this digital age, and their importance to dissemination of news.
Bangura expounded on the effect of fake news and looked at the tools used to create and disseminate misinformation. These included Adobe Photoshop…
… and Lip Sync technology that was used to design a fake Obama Speech.
It highlighted the role of people in fighting against fake news which includes:
- Say something when you know the news is false
- Stop believing in everything you see in the digital space and learn to validate news stories
- Start asking questions before forwarding all sorts of news to your networks
- What is the source of this message?
- Has it been reliable in the past?
- Have you checked the author?
- Have you checked the date?
The session ended with all participants making a commitment to verify information before sharing news and to help raise awareness on the dreadful virus that is fake news. As it rounded up, participants expressed their appreciation towards the learnings gained and requested for a campaign to raise such awareness nationally.
The momentum has been heightened as participants awaits the next Hack/Hackers FNA session.
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About the author
Avril Pratt is a community developmental ambassador and program coordinator to Code for Sierra Leone. You can connect with her on Facebook, LinkedIn.
The worlds of hackers and journalists are coming together, as reporting goes digital and Internet companies become media empires.
Journalists call themselves “hacks,” someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code.
Hacker-journalists try and bridge the two worlds. Hacks/Hackers Africa aims to bring all these people together — those who are working to help people make sense of our world. It’s for hackers exploring technologies to filter and visualize information, and for journalists who use technology to find and tell stories. In the age of information overload and collapse of traditional business models for legacy media, their work has become even more crucial.
Code for Africa, the continent’s largest #OpenData and civic technology initiative, recognizes this and is spearheading the establishment of a network of HacksHackers chapters across Africa to help bring together pioneers for collaborative projects and new ventures.
Follow Hacks/Hackers Africa on Twitter and Facebook and join the Hacks/Hackers community group today.
