15 Journalists trained on how to identify false data

Fifteen journalists from various media houses in the country have been trained on tools and software for fact-checking information at a workshop in Accra.

Organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) the journalists were taken through different ways of identifying manipulated and fake videos, images, sounds and texts with the use of software such as InVid, reverse image search and geo-location.

Facilitators of the workshop, on the left, Mr Kwaku Krobea Asante, journalist, fact-check Ghana and on the right Mr Stephen Tindi, lecturer, UNIMAC

The workshop was on the theme, “Fact-Checking and Countering Mis/Disinformation in Ghana”.

It was aimed at highlighting the ills, effects and legal implications (defamation and criminal lawsuits) of false information in society.

A facilitator at the workshop, Mr Kwaku Krobea Asante of fact-check Ghana said the software In-Vid and reverse image search were useful in scanning videos and images to trace their original source, language and context.

He added that, geo-location, maps and IP (Internet Protocol) addresses helped in pin-pointing where information could have come from.

Mr Asante urged journalists and the public to always read beyond headlines to prevent being misled, review their own preconceived notions, check authors, comic relief taglines and sources of information.

“These are key in order not to further propagate false information as that may affect our democracy, literacy and rationality as a people”, he explained.

 A lecturer from the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), Mr Stephen Tindi focused on the drivers of information disorder which he said were mainly bloggers.

Mr Tindi said some people profited from false information especially on the new media through advertisements and clicks on websites and social media handles.

“Technology has made it easy to post, share and like, knowingly or unknowingly information which may have been distorted or fabricated.

Let us beware of such acts as it not only made the culprits rich but also spread fear, hate and conspiracies”, he added.

The workshop organised by the MFWA was themed, “Fact-Checking and Countering Mis/Disinformation in Ghana”.

A Programme Manager of the MFWA, Miss Abigail Larbi said the workshop was part of a series of workshops to train journalists on various aspects of the job and called for the support of various stakeholders.