Don’t spread fake news, you could be jailed – Penplusbytes
A roadshow to educate the public to be cautious of media content, especially fake information (news) on social media, has been held at Makola in the Central Business District of Accra.
The programme was held under the auspices of UNESCO Ghana, DW Akademie, Penplusbytes, a non-profit organisation, the Department of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, and Media Information Literacy (MIL) Hub.
The roadshow also formed part of the activities marking the Global Media and Information Literacy Week held in Ghana, which began on October 24 and would end on October 31, 2022.
The MIL Week 2022 is on the theme: “Nurturing Trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative.”
Speaking to journalists in Accra, Ms Precious Ankomah, the Programmes Manager, Penplusbytes, said the public ought not to share false or fake information, but should probe well before sharing any information.
“We are here today to educate the unlearned, to reach out to people who have not been reached out to. We are here to tell them to be conscious about their media consumption behaviour. They should click wisely on information they see,” she said.
“We are also here to educate them to think critically before clicking or sharing any information. So, you don’t share anything you encounter. Maybe you ought to probe more before sharing. You can probe by finding out from someone who is learned and can give much information.”
Ms Ankomah educated the traders on the dangers of sharing fake information or news on social media.
She said people had been scammed, defrauded, and even killed because they failed to cross check with credible sources when it came to information on WhatsApp, among others.
She cautioned the public on the implication of flouting cyber security laws in the country saying if one is found guilty, one could be jailed for 15 years.
“Don’t be a spreader of fake news, beware of fake news,” she advised.
Fake news is false or misleading information presented as news. It often has the aim of damaging the reputation of a person or entity or making money through advertising revenue.
It also involves news stories created to deliberately misinform or deceive readers.
Source: GNA