MIL Knowledge Hub

Exploring the Surge in Disinformation.

In Episode 6, Tendai Mbanje, an election expert from the African Centre for Governance, discusses the dangers of disinformation in electoral processes and how AI is influencing public opinion. 

Want to know how to spot fake news and protect your democracy? This is a must-listen! Let's spread awareness, fight misinformation, and stay informed!

This project is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. 

In this episode, host Manuel continues his conversation with Harriet Ofori, a Media and Information Literacy expert from Penplusbytes, on practical strategies to combat disinformation. They tackle crucial questions like how to find accurate election and candidate-related information, and what steps to take when encountering electoral disinformation. Tune in for insightful tips on navigating the complex media landscape during election season.

With barely 4 months to the December 2024 general elections in Ghana, it has become crucial to unpack all the issues around electoral mis/disinformation. In this episode, Countering Mis/Disinformation in an Electoral Era (Part 1), Manuel sits with MIL expert, Harriet Ofori to understand the different types of mis/disinformation that may arise at different phases of the electoral process, where they manifest, how to spot misleading information and more importantly what to do when we come across false or misleading information.

The recent incident involving a Ghanaian chef named Ebenezer Smith who falsely claimed through the media to have broken the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon, has been a great source of concern to many, particularly as the country prepares for its general elections in December 2024. Penplusbytes, being the hub for media and information literacy education in Ghana is equally troubled by this development. In this editorial, Penplusbytes cracks the whip, emphasizing the critical importance of verification and fact-checking as key components of media and information literacy education and urging the media to uphold these standards. 

In Episode 2 of the MIL Knowledge Hub, Manuel and co-host Asana explore the disinformation ecosystem in Ghana. They discuss the key actors and purveyors of disinformation and suggest measures that the government and other relevant stakeholders can implement to combat misinformation and disinformation.

This episode sheds light on media and information literacy education, why it is important in today's digital age, the purposes of media messages and why we need to pay attention to media content.