Misa Malawi cautions chiefs on fake news

Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter chairperson Teresa Ndanga has challenged traditional leaders in Mulanje to beware of fake news in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and ahead of the fresh presidential election.

She said this on Thursday when Misa Malawi engaged some traditional leaders in the district on the dangers of misinformation and how they can detect fake news from factual news so that they are able to make good decisions concerning their lives.

Said Ndanga: “As you are aware, the country is going through a critical period following the pandemic and the forthcoming election.

“As such, people are getting a lot of unverified news and reports from social media and sometimes even from reputable media houses which we might not necessarily call fake news, but misinformation or propaganda.”

So, she said they decided to engage traditional leaders to discuss how best they can detect fake news from factual reports.

“I, therefore, urge leaders to ensure that their subjects are getting right information,” she said.

Traditional Authority (T/A) Mthiramanja commended Misa Malawi for the meeting.

“We have learned important things that have opened our eyes. In rural areas, we believe and share any information we come across on social media and even some media houses without verifying it,” he said.