As technology continues to serve both as a conduit for misinformation and a tool for its detection, panellists at the July edition of the Journalism and Society Conversations, organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) on Tuesday, 8 July 2025, called for urgent investment in media and information literacy across all levels of society. They stressed the need for deliberate and effective regulatory frameworks for technology companies, the local development of verification tools and stronger newsroom strategies to counter the spread of false and harmful content.
The discussion themed, ‘Technology: The double-edged force behind misinformation and its detection’ brought together journalists and fact checkers, including David Ajikobi, Nigeria Editor, Africa Check; Ebunoluwa Olafusi, Head, Fact Check Desk, TheCable and Kemi Busari, Editor, Dubawa. Glory Itiafe, a broadcast journalist with Diamond FM, Osun State, moderated the conversation.
Reflecting on the dual role of technology in today’s information ecosystem, Olaoluwa Adeleye, Programme Officer at WSCIJ, noted in his opening remarks that while digital tools have expanded the reach of journalists, they are also being used to spread false information, posing a challenge to truth and public trust. He reiterated the Centre’s commitment to strengthening media practice and defending the civic space through sustained conversations on the impact of technology on truth, ethics and public interest journalism.
Lending her voice to the conversation, Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director/CEO, WSCIJ, emphasised that verification remains the cornerstone of journalism. “Fact-checkers, fact-checking organisations are needed as an addition to the core tradition of newsrooms’ fact-check efforts. The burden is on newsrooms to uphold traditional gatekeeping standard and adapt them to today’s technological realities,“ she said.
In his submission, Ajikobi stressed that media and information literacy are the strongest defence against misinformation, noting that tools are useless without critical thinking. He noted that efforts to help people question what they see online, especially fake videos, are one of the long-term solutions to the scourge of misinformation. He also warned that Africa remains an afterthought in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and urged the continent to build its own tools. “If Africa does not build the tools, the tools will not serve us,” he said.
Also speaking during the discussion, Olafusi stressed the importance of keeping human judgment at the centre of fact-checking, despite the growing use of artificial intelligence and other digital tools. She noted that while technology can support verification efforts, it should not replace critical thinking or contextual understanding in the newsroom.
Another panellist, Busari, advocated greater innovation in developing local tools to support the interpretation and verification of content in local contexts. He urged media organisations to upskill their team and prioritise using homegrown solutions. Busari also called for creating clear regulatory frameworks, both national and international, to ensure accountability in the use of AI and digital platforms, noting that self-regulation could play a key role.
Adding to the conversation, Ajibola Amzat, Africa Editor, Centre for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ), pointed to the profit-driven design of social media algorithms as a major contributor to the spread of harmful content online. “The platform owners design their algorithm to amplify information that is likely to turn out to be hate speech, mis- or disinformation, because they know that is what human nature engages with and therefore it gets them profit”, he said.
The Journalism and Society Conversations by WSCIJ brings together stakeholders to discuss pressing issues that affect the media and society and the vital role of investigative journalism in holding the government accountable and contributing to nation-building.
Click here to listen to the conversation.
Signed
WSCIJ Team
