Press freedom: Do not fall for fake news!
Are you a critical thinker who questions what you read and see or are you likely to believe news from any source?
Are you a critical thinker who questions what you read and see or are you likely to believe news from any source?
Latiefa Mobara, the executive director of the Press Council of South Africa, says says there are organisations trying to stem the publication of fake news, including Real411, which is a civil society initiative that provides an online platform for the public to report disinformation; and Africa Check, an independent organisation that fact-checks claims in the public domain.
Have you seen this Africa Check report?
The country is infamous for high rates of crime and violence. But a widely reported crime ranking of its cities was based on the perceptions of 2,704 people.
- In February 2021, South African websites reported that six of the country’s cities were in the top 20 of the “most dangerous” in the world, according to the Numbeo.com Crime Index by City 2021.
- Numbeo.com’s crime index only uses the perceptions of visitors to its website. It is not based on any real data.
- Crime statistics contradicts the index and experts say better data on perceptions of crime exist.
Read more about this report here.
Africa Check also provides practical training courses for members of the public to spot false information and teaches skills on how and where to access accurate online data.
It’s in the news so it must be right, right? Wrong – there are more and more instances of fake news being spread through a variety of channels.
WATCH: How to avoid falling for false news – Africa Check
However, the questions of whether freedom of expression in the context of public health emergencies are being inhibited by the restrictions of certain rights such as freedom of movement, and whether Covid-19 is being used as an excuse to crack down on press freedom, remain.
Did you fall for any of these?
Anyone that creates or spreads fake news about the Coronavirus Covid-19 in South Africa is liable for prosecution. This is according the South African government. They have flagged the following, among others, as fake news:
3 March: R3 500 COVID-19 Support Grant Fund
2 March: Vaccine registration for people over 65 – this was only opened later
27 December: SANDF recalling members from leave
29 July: Loan free debt relief
