In a strategic move to curb the spread of fake news, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Enlightenment has trained over 100 social media influencers from across Northern Nigeria on the responsible and effective use of digital platforms.
Speaking at the workshop on Sunday in Kano, the Senior Special Assistant, Mr. Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, emphasized that the initiative was birthed out of a critical need to equip digital content creators with the tools to identify and neutralize misinformation.
According to Abdulaziz, social media influencers hold immense power in shaping public perception, making their role pivotal in maintaining national stability and factual discourse. The workshop focused heavily on media literacy, fact-checking methodologies, and ethical communication.
”The training was organized to equip influencers with the necessary skills to counter disinformation and misinformation, ensuring a safer and more factual digital ecosystem,” Abdulaziz stated.
To combating fake news, practical strategies is required for verifying information before sharing it with large audiences. They are expected to promote national unity and constructive public enlightenment over sensationalism.
They can combat fake news by Leveraging algorithms and platform tools to amplify factual narratives across Northern Nigeria.
The participants, drawn from various northern states, pledged to utilize their platforms to foster transparency, counter malicious narratives, and promote informed public enlightenment.
