By Agnes Ansah
Accra, April 25, GNA – A three-year Anti-Disinformation Coalition project has been launched in Accra to curb misinformation through collaborative action, localised research and AI-powered tools to equip young people to identify, verify and counter false information online.
It is being implemented by Penplusbytes with funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy and was unveiled at a youth seminar organised by Discovery Teen Magazine and Foundation.
Addressing participants, Dr Charity Binkah, Board Chair of Penplusbytes, said fake news was now “a direct threat to our public health and our social space,” noting that disinformation in local languages spreads even faster.
She said the project would bring together youth, media, technology partners, academia, civil society and government to tackle disinformation, which undermines social cohesion, affects elections and damages reputations, stressing that no single group could address the challenge alone.
Dr Binkah urged young people to verify information before sharing it, stating, “A ten second pause is often the difference between spreading peace and spreading harm,” and cautioned that even AI or online bios could mislead if not properly checked.
Dr Zenator Agyemang-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Security and Intelligence, warned of the legal implications of cyber offences, particularly the unlawful sharing of intimate images.
“If someone shares photos of themselves with you, it’s against the law to share those,” she said, noting that offenders were prosecuted and that digital evidence could now be used in court.
Dr Agyemang-Rawlings advised participants to verify information before forwarding it, saying, “Don’t just take what you see as gospel and pass it on, even with the best of intentions…think, question, verify. Do not believe everything you see.
“Do not believe everything you hear, and don’t share everything unless you verify,” she cautioned.
Madam Mercy Catherine Adjabeng, Founder of Discovery Teen Magazine and Foundation, said although young people were highly active online, many lacked the skills to navigate associated risks.
“The same feed that can teach you how to code can also trick you with fake news. The same click that connects you to a friend can also share a lie that harms someone’s life, and can cost you if you get sued,” she said, urging responsible use of the internet.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey