Journalists prioritize accuracy over speed for Cybersecurity month and election

TLDR:

– The GJA is urging journalists to prioritize accuracy over speed ahead of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and the election.
– Kofi Yeboah, General Secretary of the GJA, emphasized the importance of focusing on cybersecurity and combating misinformation and disinformation.

Article Summary:

In a recent Minister’s Press Briefing on National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Kofi Yeboah, the General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), highlighted the importance of accuracy in journalism, especially in the context of cybersecurity and the upcoming election. He stressed the need for journalists to verify information before publishing to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation, which pose significant national security concerns. As Ghana approaches the 2024 elections, the theme for this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month, “Combating Misinformation and Disinformation in a Digitally Resilient Democracy: Our Collective Responsibility,” becomes crucial in addressing the impact of false information on the electorate’s decision-making process. Yeboah also called on the media to collaborate with the Cyber Security Authority during the awareness month to educate and empower citizens in combating false information. He emphasized the shared responsibility of combating misinformation, highlighting the media’s role as a conduit for spreading false information and calling on political actors to refrain from using the media to spread disinformation. Overall, the GJA’s message is clear: accuracy in journalism is paramount in the fight against misinformation and is key to maintaining a digitally resilient democracy.