How fake news is fueling suspected herdsmen killings in Nigeria - Report
As the rampaging violence and killings linked to clashes between farmers and herdsmen in some parts of the country continue to ravage, there are growing worries that fake news is one of the factors responsible for the relentless (reprisal) attacks.
What is fake news?
According to BBC, fake news refers to completely false information, photos or videos purposefully created and spread to confuse or misinform the public.
It includes information, photos or videos manipulated to deceive - or old photographs shared as new.
Also categorized as fake news is satire or parody which means no harm but can fool people.
Why fake news?
Misinformation and fake news in Nigeria, in some cases, are caused by the lack of official information which creates a vacuum to be filled by rumours.
The two major platforms through which fake news are being circulated in Nigeria:
1. Social media
2. News outlets
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Social media as a carrier of fake news
Fake news is fueling herders crises in Nigeria as a result of social media.
The explosion of social media (Nigeria reportedly has 26 million active Facebook users) and the rapid growth of smart phones means rumour spread quickly and easily on social media.
According to BBC, fake pictures circulating on social media which users are falsely claiming depict inter-communal violence are inflaming already high tensions in Nigeria.
The pictures reportedly come after three days of violence left more than 100 people dead in the centre of the country.
One of the pictures depict “a gruesome image of a woman face down in a pool of blood with a gaping shoulder wound is purported to be from the recent attacks. It has hundreds of retweets on Twitter, but it first appeared on the internet in 2011 in a story about domestic violence in Nigeria.”
“Another image appears to show half a dozen people that were killed in the attacks. On closer inspection, it becomes clear that the picture was not taken in Nigeria, and is actually the scene of a 2015 traffic accident in the Dominican Republic.”
The pictures are not featured in the report because they are both too graphic to display and were accompanied by highly inflammatory comments, the international media reported.
News outlets as a carrier of fake news
Some Nigerian news media are also complicit in the distribution of fake and unverified news.
Earlier this week, major Nigerian news outlets ran a story claiming that Danladi Ciroma, a leader of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, said the attacks in Plateau were revenge for the loss of 300 cows.
"Since these cows were not found, no-one should expect peace in the areas," Circoma is reported to have said.
His comments drew widespread anger and swift condemnation, but he has denied ever making the statement.
One of the news outlets that ran the news has since retracted the report, apologised to Ciroma, and sacked its reporter that was responsible for the unethical reportage.
How you can identify fake news
With the overwhelming explosion of social media/news blogs, it is likely that more fake news stories will surface about the herders' crisis, particularly in the run-up to the 2019 presidential election.
Thus, it is important that individuals make extra efforts to identify fake news and help stop its spread.
Here are five ways you can stop the spread of misinformation, as highlighted by BBC:
1. Check the source of the news
Fake social media accounts often try to appear as if they are from legitimate news sites, so check that every account you share information from is genuine. Verified accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have a blue tick.
2. Verify from multiple sources
Although this isn't foolproof, it's nonetheless worth checking multiple reputable new sources when trying to verify if what you're seeing is real, especially when the report borders on a very sensitive and hot-blooded issue. Ask yourself: Are trusted news outlets also reporting this information?
3. Verification tools
There are dozens of tools online that can help determine the authenticity of a picture or a video. Google, Bing and Tin Eye all offer a reverse image search, which can tell you where images have been used before. Video verification is more tricky, but tools like InVid allow you to select video from Facebook and YouTube to see if or where these videos have been used before.
4. Check metadata
If you have an original video or picture, you can check the metadata which will give you a wealth of information, including where and when the image or video was taken plus the device make and model. Unfortunately, when images and videos are uploaded to social media platforms their metadata is stripped out.
5. Think before you post
This may sound obvious but be careful not to add to the problem of fake news. Before you post, ask yourself if you are sure the information you are about to post is real.
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Legit.ng previously reported that Pope Francis denounced ‘fake news’ as evil and urged journalists to make it their mission to search for the truth.
The pope said the first case of fake news is in the Bible when Eve was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit based on disinformation from the serpent.
Comparing fake news to the serpent's message of temptation in the Bible, Pope Francis said: "We need to unmask what could be called the 'snake tactics' used by those who disguise themselves in order to strike at any time and place."
The pope called for a commitment to restoring the “dignity of journalism" and urged reporters to speak the truth with a journalism that is "truthful and opposed to falsehoods, rhetorical slogans, and sensational headlines."
TY Danjuma, Nigerian Army and the herdsmen crisis | Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
