Fact-Checking: A Necessity to Combat the Surge of Disinformation in Nigerian Online Media

Abstract

Many news websites are also battling with various manifestations of disinformation in the contemporary times. To this end, this work aims to understand the extent of adoption of digital fact-checkers as an alternative measure to the traditional gatekeeping procedures in convention newsrooms. Hence, the study designed the following research question: to what extent do media houses in Nigeria fact-check information before publishing? In what ways can fact-check tools improve the quality and credibility of online news content? The study was guided by the gatekeeping ideology and the Technology Acceptance Model. A multi-method approach was utilised, suing a descriptive survey, of 146 journalists from major national newspapers were recruited and 3 editors served as participants of the key informants’ interview, and the newspapers of the selected editors were also content analysed. The study adopted a multi-method analysis (descriptive analysis, narrative analysis and content analysis) to address the complex variables within the work. Out of the 146 copies of the questionnaire shared, only 106 (72.6%) were valid for analysis. The findings reveal a moderate awareness of digital fact checkers. Also, it can be deduced that fact-checking tools have improved the quality and credibility of online news contents in the Nigerian news space. A comparative analysis showed a marked improvement in news accuracy when digital fact checkers were applied (p < .05). However, challenges such as lack of commitment to deploy and fund the utilisation of digital fact-checkers, limited skills and proficiency in the use of digital fact-checkers, lack of strong policies and regulations compelling media houses to use digital fact-checkers, are some of the issues with deploying digital fact-checkers in Nigeria.

Keywords

• Digital fact-checking
• Disinformation
• Online News
• Online Journalism
• Media
• Technology

Gerçeklik Kontrolü: Nijerya Çevrimiçi Medyasında Artan Dezenformasyonla Mücadele Gerekliliği

Abstract

Günümüzde pek çok haber sitesi, dezenformasyonun farklı görünümleriyle mücadele etmektedir. Bu doğrultuda bu çalışma, geleneksel haber merkezlerindeki klasik kapı bekçiliği süreçlerine alternatif bir önlem olarak dijital gerçeklik denetimi (fact-checking) araçlarının ne ölçüde benimsendiğini anlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu bağlamda çalışma şu araştırma sorularını temel almıştır: Nijerya’daki medya kuruluşları yayımlamadan önce bilgileri ne ölçüde gerçeklik denetimine tabi tutmaktadır? Gerçeklik denetimi araçları çevrimiçi haber içeriklerinin kalitesini ve güvenilirliğini hangi yollarla artırabilir? Çalışmada kuramsal çerçeve olarak Teknoloji Kabul Modeli’nin (TAM) ilkelerinden yararlanılmıştır. Betimleyici tarama deseni benimsenmiş; başlıca ulusal gazetelerden 146 katılımcı araştırmaya dahil edilmiş, ayrıca kilit bilgi sağlayıcı görüşmeleri için 6 editörle mülakat yapılmış ve seçilen editörlerin görev yaptığı gazeteler içerik çözümlemesine tabi tutulmuştur. Çalışmadaki karmaşık değişkenleri ele almak için çok yöntemli bir analiz benimsenmiştir. Dağıtılan 146 anket formundan yalnızca 106’sı (%72,6) analiz için geçerli bulunmuştur. Bulgular, dijital gerçeklik denetimi araçlarına ilişkin orta düzeyde bir farkındalık olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca, dijital gerçeklik denetimi araçlarının Nijerya haber ekosisteminde çevrimiçi haber içeriklerinin kalite ve güvenilirliğini artırdığı sonucuna ulaşılabilmektedir. Karşılaştırmalı analiz, dijital gerçeklik denetimi araçlarının kullanıldığı durumlarda haber doğruluğunda anlamlı bir artış olduğunu göstermiştir (p < .05). Bununla birlikte, dijital gerçeklik denetimi araçlarının hayata geçirilmesi ve finansmanına yönelik kurumsal bağlılığın zayıf olması; bu araçları kullanmaya ilişkin sınırlı beceri ve yeterlilikler; medya kuruluşlarını dijital gerçeklik denetimi araçlarını kullanmaya zorlayacak güçlü politika ve düzenlemelerin eksikliği gibi sorunlar, Nijerya’da dijital gerçeklik denetimi araçlarının yaygınlaştırılmasının önündeki başlıca engeller arasında yer almaktadır.

Keywords

• Afrika Yerli Bilgi Sistemleri
• Alekwu
• Idoma
• Afrikalılık Felsefesi
• Barış
• Ubuntu
• Teraanga

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