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COMBATING FAKE NEWS IN CYBER SPACE

Social media practitioners are advised not to share information they cannot vouch for.  Stories should be verified first with credibility before dissemination. This advice was given during the inaugural lecture of Guild of professional bloggers of Nigeria (GPBN) at Radisson Blu, Ikeja Lagos.

The minister for Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed said fake news is not new or limited to social media and must be combatted because Nigeria cannot afford an unbridled spread of fake news because of its Multi-ethnic and Multi-religious nature. He drew the attention to the a BBC report that says fake news circulation in Social media fuelling the farmer headers clash because gory pictures from other lands are circulated as killings in Benue and Plateau. He said Government would not use cohesion or censorship to fight fake news epidemic but appeals to Bloggers and every Nigerian to join hands to fight the scourge.

The president of GPBN Chris Kehinde Nwandu explained that many people come into blogging as journalist while some do so because they love writing and sharing information. However, public interest must be fed with accurate and factual information and not fabrication or falsehood, which is non-negotiable. He said a vacuum must be filled and that is the need to have an umbrella body to regulate the activities of bloggers in the country. He therefore called on the federal Government to see to the registration of the Association as several attempts to register it with the Corporate Affairs Commission has been unsuccessful.

Also in attendance were Professor Abigail Ogwezzy Ndisika HOD of Mass Communication University of Lagos, Kola Ologbodiyan National Secretary PDP aptly represented by Richard ihediowa and Basil Udotai an ICT lawyer.

Source: SAHARA REPORTERS

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