President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), High Chief Christopher Isiguzo, has advised students of Igbinedion University Okada IUO to avoid writing and publishing reports or stories that would attract libel.
High Chief Isisguzo explained that a reporter or journalist can go to prison, if he/she publishes, shares or circulates any printed material in an online or hard copy. He implored them to check and verify any reports at their disposal before publishing or sharing.
The two-time NUJ president was a guest speaker who, presented a paper on, ‘Rethinking the Social Media: Fake News and the Death of the Gatekeeping’ at the College Lecture Series of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan College of Arts and Social Sciences, Igbinedion University Okada, Benin City, Edo State.
He urged them to get familiar with various relevant laws that guide the profession for knowledge to avoid falling foul of the laws.
Emphasizing the dangers of social media/fake news, the NUJ president describe it, as journalism or information that either deliberately or intentionally misleads people and distorts reality by spreading false facts, hoaxes, propaganda or misrepresentation of information.
He opined that, fake news has been named as the Collins Dictionary ‘ Word of the Year 2017, because of the usage of this particular word which has gained so much attention in the past four years, adding that usage of the word had risen by 365 per cent since 2016.
“A study conducted by Emma Birchley, Sky News East of England Correspondent, shows that between January and October, 2012, 35 million pieces of personal information were traded online illegally-up from 19 million during the whole of 2011.
“The figure is very likely to increase. The research similarly shows that 24 percent of UK residents have been victims of identity fraud online. Rather than misusing the opportunity afforded by social media, we could utilize it effectively for the betterment of our societies,” Isiguzo added.
He stressed that in Nigeria, incidents of fake news are so much that, in February 2017, Lai Mohammed, the minister of Information and Culture raised an alarm stating that Nigeria is under siege of disinformation and fake news that can bring the country on her knees, if not checked.
Isiguzo equally stressed that this dangerous trend championed by the social media, which the traditional media are unfortunately feeding on, could tear the fabric of the society.
Speaking on the death of the gatekeeper, Isiguzo said the function of the gatekeeper is the one that all journalists get introduced to right from the beginning.
According to him, in professional media practice, the gatekeeper serves to ensure that, only what is fit and proper scales through, noting that the role of the gatekeeper is never taken lightly.
“Despite this professional resolve, mistakes manage to get through anyway and of course, this is what easily catches the public’s attention and casts doubts on the press.
“The public may not even realize that many more fake news items would have been put out there were it not for gatekeeping vigilance. Out of sheer mischief or political expediency, many people produce and distribute hoaxes to inflict harm, while for some, it is a way to make money from blackmail,” he lamented.
He suggested that to avoid the pit, journalists must be careful not to be tempted into propagating fake news, by ensuring proper and quick checks are made before stories are written and transmitted for public consumption.
The NUJ boss said, leaders should be held accountable to the people by the media, while criticisms should be done in an objective manner devoid of any sentiments and bias, stressing that that is the only way to help sustain democracy.
In his remarks, the vice chancellor, Igbinedion University, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, host of the lecture, said fake news is one of the negative offshoots of the current development, as “we move from the dominance of traditional media to the era of new media , and the social media with the attendant backgrounding of the gatekeeper and proliferation of fake news.”
Prof. Ezemonye, represented by the deputy vice chancellor, Prof. Raphael l. Adeghe, said IUO is proud to be at the forefront of providing intellectual platforms to discuss these development issues.
“IUO has always been in the forefront of ground breaking, social dialogues and impactful research. Our research into financial inclusion and digital financial literacy in collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom, started preparing women and minority groups in Nigeria for digital economy, long before the CBN announced its cashless policy.
“The university has also collaborated with other foreign universities to research into climate change, education, leadership and others. We will continue to create platforms to discuss issues and ideas for the advancement of humanity,” the VC stated.
In her speech, the acting dean of the Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan College of Arts and Social Sciences, IUO, Dr. Blessing Ose Oligbi, PhD, said she is proud that their college has always been at the forefront of promoting the core values of IUO, particularly, its mission to improve human advancement through production of knowledge for contextualized national and global needs.
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