Media practitioners in kwara state has been cautioned against the dissemination of fake and unverified news
University Don, Dr. Adebola Bakare from the department of Political Science, University of Ilorin made the cautioned on Tuesday during a one-day roundtable discussion organized by Albarika 89.9 FM with the support of Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism and funded by MacArthur Foundation.
Speaking on the Imperatives of online news media and its influence in facilitating good governance, he described the new medium as an immediate access to breaking news and projects govt actions and inactions.
He added that it provide opportunities for whistle blowers to keep public officials on their toes.
Speaking further, he posited the online news medium provide an avenue for immediate feedback, thereby allowing possible interaction and engagement between the government and the governed.
He however cautioned the online media practitioners against misinformation, misrepresentation of fact and any form of libelous information.
Also, a Research Analyst and Academy Coordinator of Dataphyte, Ibilolia Daniel Akahome took the participating journalists through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in enhancing Investigative Reporting.
She explained that the use of AI plays an important role in revolutionizing Investigative Reporting such as enhancing accuracy and credibility of a report, expanding access to information, enhancing efficiency through an accelerated investigation process among others.
She harped on the responsible usage of AI in journalism which entails adhering to ethical guidelines, ensuring transparency, maintaining journalistic integrity and safeguarding against potential biases and misuse of technology.
She noted that Adapting AI tools to African contexts while ensuring ethical and responsible use is essential for fostering transparency, accountability, and truth-seeking in journalism.
