[kictanet] Talk to NCIC Day 1: Users and Fake News

[Churchill Otieno]

Friends, 

I'm coming to this late but I hope there's still some window to say this:

>>> *(a) Why is there an increase in the prevalence of Fake News recently?*

Social media distribution of information is quick, light, inexpensive and tantalizing. So while fake news in itself is not new, digital platforms afford it the storm effect. And the more popular ideas or ideologies clash the more it gets legs.

>>> *(b) What is the role of different categories of users in combating Fake
>>> News?*

Difficult question mostly because people love news that reinforce their view points more than those that contradict. In short, we consume news more with our hearts. It gets worse when we throw in identity politics.

>>> *(c) Have Kenyans given up or are there good practices in combating Fake
>>> News?*

Fact checking is growing locally, thankfully. And I think it will impact our journalism positively so that there's more of critical reportage than conveyor belt. 

>>> *(d) Is Fake News a manifestation of deeper societal issues and if so,
>>> are there ways of combating it other than resolving the societal
>>> issues?*

Yes. Just look at the number of EACC customers currently celebrating after being declared winners in the elections and you realize that the root of the problem is the voter. It seems that those who get away with  crime are deemed heroes.


>>> *(e) We have Bloggers who are seen as influencers. Do they have a higher
>>> duty when communicating?*

Blogger is a loose term. Can we actually prescribe certain norms to them? So I guess it's left to individuals in that class to choose how to respond to fake news. However, those with large audiences do have moral duty to debunk fake news.

> On 16 Aug 2017, at 19:08, kanini mutemi via kictanet <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> 
> >>> *(a) Why is there an increase in the prevalence of Fake News recently?*
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> *(b) What is the role of different categories of users in combating Fake
> >>> News?*
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> *(c) Have Kenyans given up or are there good practices in combating Fake
> >>> News?*
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> *(d) Is Fake News a manifestation of deeper societal issues and if so,
> >>> are there ways of combating it other than resolving the societal
> >>> issues?*
> >>>
> >>> *(e) We have Bloggers who are seen as influencers. Do they have a higher
> >>> duty when communicating?*