Item
Misinformation and Disinformation in the Era of Social Media: The Need for Fact-Checking Skills
- Author
- Bolaji David Oladokun, Joel Eleojo Aruwa, Gabriel Alhassan Ottah, Yusuf Ayodeji Ajani
- Year
- 2024
- Publisher
- Journal of Information and Knowledge,
- DOI/Link
- View Source
- Abstract
-
The paper employs a systematic review of literature through ResearchGate, Google Scholar and Web of Science databases to
examine the need for fact-checking skills among media professionals. The paper indicates that the significance of factchecking skills among media professionals cannot be overstated in our contemporary information landscape. It is believed
that media and information professionals hold a critical responsibility to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information they disseminate. Fact-checking skills, encompassing rigorous verification, source scrutiny, and a commitment to
transparency, stand as a bulwark against the tide of misinformation that pervades the digital era. Given this, the paper
argues that misinformation has the potential to erode trust in institutions, sow discord, and influence public opinion. By
actively engaging in fact-checking, media and information professionals become agents of truth, fortifying the foundations
of a well-informed and resilient society. The paper concludes that the power to combat misinformation lies in the hands
of those who shape narratives and tell the stories that define our world. The commitment to fact-checking is not merely a
professional obligation but a moral imperative.