Social media plays a crucial role in information dissemination, especially during elections, and content creators, journalists, and online editors should equip themselves with the skills to counteract misinformation and disinformation, according to two experts this week.
Zenzele Ndebele and Lifaqane Nare conducted a two-day training workshop at Tashy’s Royal Garden, focused on equipping social media content producers and online news editors with the skills to combat misinformation and disinformation. The workshop, themed “Combating Misinformation and Disinformation,” was organized by the INK Center for Investigative Journalism, a non-profit investigative newsroom dedicated to training journalists and other media professionals.
The workshop, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Gaborone, brought together over 40 participants, including social media influencers, podcasters, media students, and online editors.
Media expert and trainer Zenzele Ndebele said misinformation and fake news have the potential to polarise public opinion, foster echo chambers, promote violent extremism and hate speech, and ultimately undermine democracies by eroding public trust in democratic processes.
He highlighted the difficulties untrained journalists and content creators face in distinguishing fact from fiction due to the proliferation of news sources and propaganda. Ndebele emphasised that falsehoods and partial truths often gain virality on social media, with platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp being primary vectors for misinformation in Botswana. He advised journalists to always question the motives behind a source’s story to establish its authenticity and to confirm the occurrence of events before reporting.
“Journalists should also confirm if the story did happen,” said Ndebele, who is the Director of the Center for Innovation and Technology (CiTE) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
He encouraged media organisations in Botswana to embrace technological advancements in storytelling. Sharing CiTE’s experience, he noted how they integrated artificial intelligence into their newsroom with the creation of an AI presenter named “Alice,” as part of their commitment to adopting new technologies to enhance news production and amplification.
Zimbabwean veteran journalist and fact-checker, Lifaqane Nare of Fact Check Zimbabwe, also addressed the participants, emphasising that accurate information can save lives, as misinformation can lead to poor decision-making. She stressed that verification is the cornerstone of journalism, underscoring the importance of ensuring that the information disseminated is accurate.
“It is important to make sure the information we put out is accurate,” said Nare.
The training attracted journalists and content producers from across Botswana, including participants from Maun, Ghanzi, Francistown, and Kanye. Local mainstream media organizations, as well as representatives from the state media as well as Botswana Online Media Association (BOMA), an umbrella body for online social media content creators, were also in attendance.
Botswana goes to a watershed election in October 2024.
