By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has urged the adoption of a multi-stakeholder approach to improve the credibility of social media content, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to tackle misinformation.
Speaking at a symposium titled “Blogging, AI, and the Credibility of Social Media Content: A Hybrid Resolution Approach,” held at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges posed by misinformation.
The event was jointly organized by the International Media and Information Literacy Institute, NOUN’s Mass Communication Department, the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, and UNESCO.
Represented by Mrs. Comfort Ajiboye, Director and Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Idris stressed the importance of policies that balance the freedom of expression with the need for accurate, reliable information.
He called for collaboration among various stakeholders, including the government, academia, media professionals, and technology experts, to curb the spread of false information online.
While seeking a multi-stakeholder approach in addressing the credibility of social media content, the minister also canvassed the development of policies that would balance the freedom of expression with the need for factual and reliable information.
On his part, NOUN’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Peters, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Professor Chiedu Mafiana, highlighted the increasing influence of social media on public discourse and the role educational institutions play in promoting media literacy.
He emphasized the need for collaboration between academic bodies, the government, and international organizations to address misinformation.
The symposium brought together media professionals, students, and government officials, with discussions centered on how emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to improve content credibility on social media.
Moderated by Dr. Jacob Shagboar Suemo, Head of the Mass Communication Department at Nile University, the event featured three panelists: Qasim Olalere Akinretin, Deputy Director of Digital Media at Voice of Nigeria (VON); Professor Abiodun Adeniyi, Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies at Baze University; and popular blogger, Malam Abdullahi O. Haruna.
The panelists explored the role of bloggers and AI in shaping content creation, emphasizing the need for ethical standards in the use of AI in news dissemination.
The symposium concluded with a call for continued engagement between stakeholders to improve the quality of social media content and ensure transparency and accountability in the digital age.
