To further launch attack on false news in Nigeria, media NGO, International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos has launched it’s iVerify Project and unveiled the iVerify Platform.
The event which held in Abuja on 6th December had in attendance top government officials including representatives of the ministry of information and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Welcoming participants, Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade said, “The main purpose of the event was to publicly present the iVerify Project which as you must have noticed in your respective invitation letters, we captured as a ground-breaking initiative.”
While explaining the purpose of the project, Arogundade also noted and appreciated the support of the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) and the Spanish government for their support on the project.
“The core objective of the iVerify project as being implemented by the International Press Centre with the kind support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the government of Spain is to strengthen the fight against the disturbing phenomenon of information disorder exemplified by rising disinformation, misinformation, mal-information and hate speech, especially in the electoral and democratic processes,” he said.
According to him, the major components of the iVerify project include: The establishment of the iVerify technology-driven fact-checking platform. Capacity building for journalists on fact-checking of electoral information and the democratic processes; Promotion of media literacy and engagement in public enlightenment to combat information disorder and collaboration to strengthen advocacy for the enabling environment for credible information dissemination.”
Going forward, he said, “The iVerify project is only a few months old under a short-term support by the UNDP, which we however hope would be extended to a longer period.
“Despite this, IPC hereby seeks the support of other donors and development partners as it prepares to widen the scope of activities under the iVerify project.”
Arogundade enlightened that the capacity building component of the iVerify project kicked off with the training of 80 female and male journalists from the print, broadcast and Online media in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States, ahead the off-cycle elections in the states on November 11, 2023.
He said, “The emphasis at the workshops was that journalists should be detectives of disinformation, regularly arm themselves with fact-checking tools, make use of fact-checking methods in the gathering and dissemination of electoral information and set aside their political biases or partisan prejudices so that the picture they present to the public is factual; and not the opinionated ones in their heads. The impact of the training on the select journalists features in the iVerify documentary we shall watch as part of this public launch.”
He however gave a summary of the planned expansion which includes:
Recruitment of more full-time fact-checkers for the iVerify platform;
Engagement of journalists and media professionals as freelance fact-checkers for the iVerify platform;
Training of 1000 journalists as detectives of disinformation and fact-checkers (particularly of electoral information) in the 36 States and the FCT between now and the 2027 general elections; and
Engagement in advocacy and publication of resource materials to aid the fight against information disorder.
He also appreciated the efforts of individuals who made the project possible.
“Please permit me to express our
appreciation to Dr. Emmanuel Mamman, the Director of Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR); Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman; Mr. David Ajikobi, Nigerian Editor of African Check and Mr. Taiwo Obe, founder of Journalism Clinic, for serving as resource persons at the iVerify trainings for the journalists,” he said.
Also at the event, Resident Representative of the UNDP,
Mr. Lealem B. Dinku, revealed that the project was conceived by the UNDP to promote information integrity around election, governance in Nigeria.
“The iVerify project and the iVerify Nigeria platform concept is conceived by UNDP as a mechanism to promote information integrity around election, governance and democratic processes in Nigeria and is being coordinated and managed by the International Press Centre.
“The imperative of this project is to deepen democratic culture in Nigeria by converting the negative influence of the proliferation of information disorder in the nation’s polity especially during electioneering period.”
He also noted that, “The advancement in technology and digital transformation in recent years is adding positive values to human development. Nonetheless, the advantage of this technological progress is being degraded by the misuse of social media to create needless tension and sometimes violence in the society. Social media is often awash with disinformation, misinformation and hate speech which hampers citizen’s ability to make an informed decision about events that affect their life and wellbeing.
“Government is grappling with the myriad implications of the misuse of social media and to curb its menace as effort to lessen the misuse of social media has been resisted by stakeholders including the media practitioners. The inability of government to deal decisively with the menace of information disorder occasioned by social media through legal framework is not limited to Nigeria alone: it is a global issue,” he said.
Worried about the spare of information disorder in the society, he said the spate must be checked and that is what the iVerify Nigeria project sets out to achieve.
“We must all rally round it to ensure its success through moral, financial and technical support. We implore all stakeholders and professionals present here this morning to make use of this platform to fact-check any doubtful information especially on election, governance and democracy before disseminating or sharing. Once fake news or any Information disorder is discovered, it is proper and fit to alert the platform for verification and appropriate response,” he concluded.
Report by Immanuel O. Adeyomoye