Governments at all levels have been urged to ensure prompt dissemination of accurate information to prevent disinformation and Misinformation.
This was the position of a panel of discussion on Misinformation and Disinformation in the Era of Artificial Intelligence, AI, organized by ECOWAS Parliament at their Second Extra Ordinary Session holding in Port Harcourt on Wednesday 24-09-25.
One of the panelists, Dr. Christian Odu said lack of information from the Government often led misinformation by the public.
Dr. Odo also called on the government to set a mechanism that would hold owners of social media platforms accountable for spreading disinformation.
“If they know that they will be held more accountable than the person using their platform, they will put strong mechanisms and that does not mean you are stifling freedom of information.”
“You are trying to create a platform that what is serving us for good will not turn around and bring evil for us.”
“Those social media are allowing people to post, sometimes they know the news is fake news but they allow it to fly because they want to get data they can use to do research. Government needs to come very strongly on social media.”
In his contribution, a member representing Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro at the Federal House of Representative, Mr. Awaji-inombek Abiante, noted that lack of transparency in governance through credible and prompt information may led to breakdown of law and order.
“To attract attention people will put up whatever, whether it is true or false to pressure you to do right.”
“If we can learn to be transparent in governance, open up your systems, digitalize the processes so that information will be available.”
The panelists and participants at the Seminar agreed that adequate sensitization should be carried out at the grassroot on the proper usage of Artificial Intelligence and verification of information to prevent fake news.
