The Fight Against Misinformation and Disinformation: A Discussion at the 54th OANA Executive Board Meeting
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) – The 54th Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) Executive Board Meeting brought together experts in the field of fact-checking and misinformation to discuss the growing problem of disinformation.
MyCheck Malaysia: A Digital Literacy Push
Sakina Mohamed, Editor of Digital Media at the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA), showcased the agency’s digital literacy push through its fact-checking initiative, MyCheck Malaysia. Launched in 2020, MyCheck Malaysia investigates false claims affecting Malaysians and empowers them with fact-checking skills.
Prebunking: A New Approach to Countering Misinformation
Sakina emphasized the importance of prebunking, a new approach to counter misinformation. "Prebunking exposes people to misinformation tactics before they encounter false claims, making them less likely to be misled," she said. "Think of it like a vaccine. By exposing people to misinformation tactics beforehand, we build their resistance to manipulation."
Global Decline in Trust in Media: A Concern
Hazal Duran, Strategic Communications and Brand Management Director at Turkish News Agency Anadolu Ajansi (AA), highlighted the global decline in trust in media, which fell to 42 per cent in 2024. She noted that the spread of content that manipulates images or videos is a significant factor in this decline.
Combating False Narratives
Yaroslav Kurilo, Deputy Director of the International Relations Department of the Russian News Agency (TASS), shared insights on TASS’s efforts to maintain credibility. He emphasized the importance of fact-checking, supported by a dedicated editorial board established five years ago.
International Efforts to Combat Disinformation
The discussion also featured panellists from the Mongolian News Agency (Montsame) and the Iranian News Agency (Mehr News Agency), who shared their agencies’ approaches to combating disinformation.
Conclusion
The 54th OANA Executive Board Meeting serves as a reminder of the importance of fact-checking and digital literacy in combating misinformation. As the world grapples with the challenges of disinformation, it is crucial that news agencies and media organizations prioritize fact-checking and prebunking to maintain public trust and credibility.
FAQs
- What is MyCheck Malaysia?
MyCheck Malaysia is a fact-checking initiative launched by BERNAMA in 2020 to investigate false claims affecting Malaysians and empower them with fact-checking skills. - What is prebunking?
Prebunking is a new approach to counter misinformation, which exposes people to misinformation tactics before they encounter false claims, making them less likely to be misled. - What is the global decline in trust in media?
The global decline in trust in media has fallen to 42 per cent in 2024, with the spread of content that manipulates images or videos being a significant factor in this decline.