Hacks/Hackers International Event : The role of a techie in spotting misinformation
By Community Coordinators
Dis informed people are the people who share information with the intent to cause harm. Misinformed people do not have accurate information, and spread this misinformation unknowingly. This is the difference between disinformation and misinformation according to the trio of panellists in the Hacks/Hackers International Event, hosted on 12 December 2023. This event was attended by 13 participants who were eager to find out more about The role of a techie in spotting misinformation.
This virtual event was the second Hacks/Hackers International Event, drawing participants from East and West Africa.
Building on the general difference between misinformation and disinformation was iLab’s Deputy Insights Manager, Mitchelle Awuor, who shared a practical example of an aunt sharing a false job link in a family whatsapp group with good intentions but unknowingly spreading misinformation. The aunt’s intentions are good, however she is spreading misinformation unknowingly as the job link is fake. The panel shared that misinformation or disinformation was not a new concept, it was however spreading faster due to technological advancements. According to Journalist and curator Mayowa Tijani, in combating misinformation and disinformation the use of technological tools and strategies have to be implemented. He further stated the burden of responsibility on technologists in the world is kept safe from disinformation.
Combating mis-information and dis/information
Tech enthusiast and journalist David Indeje, discussed the need for techies to develop basic and in-depth tools to help people distinguish if the information is reliable or not. However, to assist in accessing these tools there will need to be an extensive media education drive. Also, building capacity with the media to allow accessibility and ease of use of these tools.
Furthermore, Indeje emphasised the importance of techies advocating for openness and transparency in their workspaces. ‘Techies should be at the forefront to help users recognise and combat misinformation’.
Awuor, highlighted the serious implications of misinformation and disinformation, especially in conflict or war-torn countries. She called for strong collaborations between journalists and techies and recommended using Code For Africa tools for fact-checking.
As a practical way forward the speakers provided tips on how to deal with unwanted fake adverts, which are most common in all online spaces.
- Take advantage of ad blocker settings
- Report such advertisement and raise awareness to the public, by providing links to credible sources
- Practise basic fact-checking, if unsure about an adverts authenticity, forward the link to fact-checking platforms and share within your social network. Although it is challenging to vet every single misinformation or disinformation, the onus is on every member of society to act as micro advocates for rooting out false information.
The takeaway from this session is that there is a role each individual can play in combating misinformation within our own spaces, we can be micro influences of truth. Being part of a diverse community such as Hacks/Hackers opens room for many fruitful collaborations that will benefit the public in fighting misinformation and disinformation.
This was the final community event for the year 2023. Code for Africa would like to thank all the Hacks/Hackers that stayed with us throughout the year. We hope to see you back with us in 2024.
Happy Holidays!
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 to 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 visualise 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, recognises 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.
