By Christopher Arko
Accra, Oct.31 GNA – The National Media Commission (NMC) is set to launch a new media watch app aimed at combating misinformation and disinformation in the lead-up to the December 7 General Elections.
The initiative is designed to empower both journalists and citizens to report real-time suspicious activities at polling stations to enable prompt responses to any electoral misconduct.
Mr. George Sarpong, Executive Secretary of the NMC, expressed confidence in the app’s potential to address fake news on the country’s airwaves during a forum organized by the Institute of Democratic Governance and the Civic Forum Initiative (IDEG-CFI) in Accra.
The event was part of the Ghana Speaks Series 2024. It was on the theme “Moderating the Airwaves for Peaceful and Credible Elections 2024.”
Mr. Sarpong said that the app would be crucial in promoting peaceful elections and safeguarding journalists covering the electoral process.
He said the app was expected to be a game-changer in the fight against misinformation, providing accurate updates from various polling stations across Ghana.
Mr. Sarpong said the NMC aimed to enhance the integrity of the electoral process and ensure citizens had access to reliable information by facilitating timely reporting of suspicious activities.
“This is going to be a game-changer in the sense that it is going to offer us very accurate information about what is happening around the country about the elections.
“And then in terms of the electoral results, if anybody who is at any polling station at the time we are declaring the results, films and submits this, the system can verify the authenticity of what has been submitted.
“We believe that if there is any dispute regarding any incident, this will offer very efficient evidence for anybody interested in understanding exactly what happened there and to address it,” he said.
Mr. Joseph Attoh Antwi, Senior Manager at the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), highlighted several cyber threats facing the upcoming elections, including disinformation, misinformation, deep fakes created using Artificial Intelligence (AI), and phishing attacks.
He noted that individuals were using the logos of mainstream media outlets to create deep fakes that appeared legitimate, posing a significant risk to public perception and trust, stressing the need of addressing those threats to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
“With the upcoming election this could be leveraged, you could see an AI generated video of the EC Chairperson giving the election results even before she herself comes to give the original results, so we have to be careful” he added.
Mr. Antwi urged the public to verify the information they encounter by cross-checking multiple sources, using fact-checking websites, and employing digital tools to debunk fake news.
GNA