The launch took place on Friday at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Bijilo.
Saidykhan expressed delight in the organisation's collaboration with the government on this vital nationwide campaign aimed at increasing public awareness about the perils of misinformation and disinformation, adding that these issues have become prevalent in our national political dialogue, both online and offline.
“This campaign, launching today, underscores a shared belief in the importance of empowering citizens. By equipping them to comprehend information disorder and discern between misinformation and disinformation, we can bring clarity to the overwhelming amount of information disseminated by diverse stakeholders, including politicians, influential figures, and social media users," he stated.
He emphasised that the Government of The Gambia, via the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, is spearheading this campaign aimed at empowering the public with essential tips and tools to effectively recognise misinformation and disinformation.
This laudable initiative, he went on, will empower the citizens and residents of The Gambia to discern between genuine facts that reflect reality and propaganda designed to mislead them. “They will also possess the ability to recognize harmful misinformation." He further stated.
“The Gambia Press Union is acutely aware of the urgent need to combat the growing menace of misinformation and disinformation. Since 2021, this awareness has fueled multiple initiatives aimed at enhancing journalists' skills and competencies through targeted capacity-building programs.”
He emphasised that leading up to the 2021 elections, the GPU collaborated with UNESCO to deliver training for journalists focused on comprehending information disorder and effectively identifying and combating misinformation and disinformation before, during, and after the election.
“The training successfully developed the first cohort of 25 journalists with essential fact-checking expertise, leading to the creation of Gambia's inaugural independent digital fact-checking platform, FactCheck Gambia.”
“FactCheck Gambia, operated by the Media Academy for Journalism and Communication (MAJAC), is dedicated to combating the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation across traditional and social media platforms. Its mission is to identify and rectify false or misleading claims, ensuring a more informed public.”
"These initiatives were designed to enhance the media's capacity to foster accountability, transparency, and the integrity of elections and electoral processes, ultimately leading to the successful conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections in 2021 and 2022."
