ON THE DANGER IN THE SPREAD OF FAKE NEWS
November 9, 2020 | News
While I have written several times on the subject matter, I was again reminded of this, and how dangerous it is if not addressed with some measure of control, by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka in one of his statements on fake news.
ON THE DANGER IN THE SPREAD OF FAKE NEWS
While I have written several times on the subject matter, I was again reminded of this, and how dangerous it is if not addressed with some measure of control, by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka in one of his statements on fake news.
Prof. Soyinka believes that fake news is not only dangerous, but actually lethal. This is because people don't understand what it is like to have things attributed to you, which you know absolutely nothing about. He noted how there have been stories of his obituaries so many times. Or, imagine waking up one day to find a story attributed to you in a language that you would never use... Like the one they said Soyinka said that it served former President Goodluck Jonathan right for marrying an illiterate woman. Whereas, according to him, he never made such a statement. He believes that those who spread fake news must be sick in the head. And they are also cowards because they lack the conviction of their own beliefs, and so they transfer to other people, what they are really thinking. And they do that without care, and this makes it very dangerous because it can cause a lot of harm. Soyinka also reiterated a statement he once made. That, "if we are not careful, World War Three will be started by fake news. And that fake news will be probably generated by a Nigerian."
Apparently due to the unlimited access to the Internet, once one can afford the Data, people have become 'agents of evil' by just using their fingers on a device. The aspect of the internet most dangerous is that of Social Media, where we now have social media influencers who have a lot of followers online. The last time I wrote about this, I noted how fake stories and doctored videos/pictures were often used to spread fake news on the internet. And then the ignorant people, not only believe such posts, but also help in spreading it across different social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and what have you.
For instance, it has been reported many times with doctored videos/pictures of President Muhammadu Buhari's death and funeral, and that the person in Aso Rock is an imposter by name Jubril from Sudan. Whereas, it was only one faceless journalist that supposedly attended Buhari's funeral in Sudan, and was the only journalist that attended the African Union (AU) summit in Adisa-Ababa, Ethiopia, where a supposed minute of silent was observed for the supposed dead President Buhari. The supposed journalist/blogger or political interest, also claimed Buhari died in a Newcastle hospital in the UK? He/She also claimed Queen Elizabeth II also wrote a condolence message to the Nigerian Government. Meanwhile, internationally known media houses like Fox News, BBC, CNN, SKY News, London Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post, London Times, didn't carry such story about President Buhari. And yet, some Nigerians were spreading such fake stories online. Nobody bothered to ask if this is true, will the US/UK allow a dead President of Nigeria to represent the country in UN, Commonwealth nations, and other world summits?
We can imagine such shameless lies being spread as news online. The unlimited access to the internet/online has promoted reckless stories, and some educated ignorant Nigerians still encourage this fake news being spread. Why would someone wish another person dead and spreading such fake news, all because of power and politics? Many Nigerian bloggers have lost their minds.
It is just too bad. The most ridiculous is when you find supposedly educated folks circulating such fake information and insisting it is genuine, even when you point out to them, with evidence, that it's fake. And there are those Nigerian Celebrities who knows the truth, but decided to follow the crowd and attack their colleague for saying the truth in other to get more followers on social media. As noted by one commentator, one day, they too will be a victim of social media bullying.
Agreed that the internet and social media platforms have their enormous advantages, especially for businesses and for carrying genuine and authentic news, but the digital world if not properly managed as a whole, has the propensity to create more crises and confusion in Nigeria, and indeed the world, which might blow into world war 3 as rightly said by Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Zik Gbemre.
November 9, 2020
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
While I have written several times on the subject matter, I was again reminded of this, and how dangerous it is if not addressed with some measure of control, by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka in one of his statements on fake news.
Prof. Soyinka believes that fake news is not only dangerous, but actually lethal. This is because people don't understand what it is like to have things attributed to you, which you know absolutely nothing about. He noted how there have been stories of his obituaries so many times. Or, imagine waking up one day to find a story attributed to you in a language that you would never use... Like the one they said Soyinka said that it served former President Goodluck Jonathan right for marrying an illiterate woman. Whereas, according to him, he never made such a statement. He believes that those who spread fake news must be sick in the head. And they are also cowards because they lack the conviction of their own beliefs, and so they transfer to other people, what they are really thinking. And they do that without care, and this makes it very dangerous because it can cause a lot of harm. Soyinka also reiterated a statement he once made. That, "if we are not careful, World War Three will be started by fake news. And that fake news will be probably generated by a Nigerian."
Apparently due to the unlimited access to the Internet, once one can afford the Data, people have become 'agents of evil' by just using their fingers on a device. The aspect of the internet most dangerous is that of Social Media, where we now have social media influencers who have a lot of followers online. The last time I wrote about this, I noted how fake stories and doctored videos/pictures were often used to spread fake news on the internet. And then the ignorant people, not only believe such posts, but also help in spreading it across different social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and what have you.
For instance, it has been reported many times with doctored videos/pictures of President Muhammadu Buhari's death and funeral, and that the person in Aso Rock is an imposter by name Jubril from Sudan. Whereas, it was only one faceless journalist that supposedly attended Buhari's funeral in Sudan, and was the only journalist that attended the African Union (AU) summit in Adisa-Ababa, Ethiopia, where a supposed minute of silent was observed for the supposed dead President Buhari. The supposed journalist/blogger or political interest, also claimed Buhari died in a Newcastle hospital in the UK? He/She also claimed Queen Elizabeth II also wrote a condolence message to the Nigerian Government. Meanwhile, internationally known media houses like Fox News, BBC, CNN, SKY News, London Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post, London Times, didn't carry such story about President Buhari. And yet, some Nigerians were spreading such fake stories online. Nobody bothered to ask if this is true, will the US/UK allow a dead President of Nigeria to represent the country in UN, Commonwealth nations, and other world summits?
We can imagine such shameless lies being spread as news online. The unlimited access to the internet/online has promoted reckless stories, and some educated ignorant Nigerians still encourage this fake news being spread. Why would someone wish another person dead and spreading such fake news, all because of power and politics? Many Nigerian bloggers have lost their minds.
It is just too bad. The most ridiculous is when you find supposedly educated folks circulating such fake information and insisting it is genuine, even when you point out to them, with evidence, that it's fake. And there are those Nigerian Celebrities who knows the truth, but decided to follow the crowd and attack their colleague for saying the truth in other to get more followers on social media. As noted by one commentator, one day, they too will be a victim of social media bullying.
Agreed that the internet and social media platforms have their enormous advantages, especially for businesses and for carrying genuine and authentic news, but the digital world if not properly managed as a whole, has the propensity to create more crises and confusion in Nigeria, and indeed the world, which might blow into world war 3 as rightly said by Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Zik Gbemre.
November 9, 2020
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes