Nigeria and the dangers of Fake News

Based on an online research carried out on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram 59.6% of news making the round on the internet are fake news (that is, majority of the news on social media and prints are deliberate misinformation, disinformation, hoaxes, satire, junk, and yellow journalism which is just to discredit an individual, a policy, a programme, an idea, an ethnic group or government.

Fake news are information that cannot be verified, without sources, and possibly untrue, fabricated news, also known as junk news or pseudo-news, is a type of satire, yellow journalism or propaganda that consists of deliberate misinformation or hoaxes spread through traditional news media (print and broadcast) or online social media. Fake news have long been in existence and is as old as the news industry itself.

A false information could be ignited by reporters paying sources for stories or are paid to report an unethical and unreal story, this is called checkbook journalism. Digital news has brought back and increased usage of fake news, or yellow journalism.

Fake news is also journalism that consists of deliberate misinformation, news whose main purpose is to distort "the truth for emotional persuasion, seeking to drive action." More recently it has become a catch-all term used to discredit stories, and in the political arena to influence the political process and election.

Nigeria is witnessing increasing fake news which are sponsored for political, religion and tribal gains. This is becoming alarming and if not cautioned could lead to civil unrest or even another civil war. We must collectively as a nation verify news and their sources before publishing or sharing them. For example, the cloning of President Buhari, EFCC raiding Justice Onnoghen’s home, the news of Peter Obi fainting in court, the allegation of Osinbajo heading RUGA, and of recent the report that herdsmen killed Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Pa Fasoranti.

The Nigerian Police has warned against “false information and incendiary images on Facebook and Twitter, stressing that, it contributed to more than a dozen killings in Plateau state” this is an area turn by ethnic, religion, farmer and herdsmen violence for a long period of time. The fake report and news on social media and print also added fire to the violence in the area.

We need to verify all information in Nigeria, whether in print or on social media. Sometimes reporters, editors and media houses could be given fake news to publish without them knowing it. We need to join hands in fighting the menace called FAKE NEWS; this will also help eradicate ethnic and religion prejudice as well as discrimination while encouraging tolerance and acceptance.

God bless Nigeria
Oladele Peter (from Ekiti)