FACT-CHECKING POLITICAL INFORMATION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL FACT-CHECKING BY DUBAWA GHANA AND GHANA FACT DURING GHANA’S 2020 GENERAL ELECTION – International Journal of Research in Education Humanities and Commerce

FACT-CHECKING POLITICAL INFORMATION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL FACT-CHECKING BY DUBAWA GHANA AND GHANA FACT DURING GHANA’S 2020 GENERAL ELECTION

Lawrencia Agyepong (Ph.D.) & Lukman Mahami Adams,

ABSTRACT

Fact-checking media content has gained prominence for its role in mitigating the raging effects of fake news. Using a qualitative methodology, specifically, semi-structured interviews, the study examines the conduct of political fact-checking by two organizations namely, Dubawa Ghana and Ghana Fact during Ghana’s 2020 general election. The study realized that the political fact-checking activities of these organizations during the elections included; capacity building of journalists and media organizations, searching for political claims on the various social media platforms, determining fact-check worthiness, using digital tools as well as desktop research, accessing information from available and reliable sources, preparing the fact-check report and determining the verdict. The study recommends that Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Skills should be incorporated into the country’s various educational curricula. In addition, measures to criminalize creators of misinformation should be advocated for by individuals and organizations who envision a healthy political and media ecosystem for Ghana. However, what constitutes criminalization for the creation of misinformation should be carefully stated in a way that will not mean stifling freedom of speech.

Keywords: Political Fact-Checking, Echo Chamber Theory, Media Literacy Education, Fake News, Elections

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