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| Some of the people who attended the workshop in Bikita |
TellZim Reporter
BIKITA— The Media Institute for
Southern Africa (Misa-Zimbabwe) in partnership with Tell Zimbabwe (TellZim)
have embarked on extensive sensitization training programmes on which
communities would be taught digital literacy skills and how to be safe online
in the face of misinformation and disinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At a
workshop attended by primarily youth and women in Bikita on Saturday (March
27), Misa Zimbabwe advocacy officer Malvern Mkudu said communities must be
taught on digital security and how they can protect themselves from
misinformation and disinformation in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mkudu
said media literacy in communities was lacking and people were being victimized
by misinformation and disinformation online.
“We
live in a digital world where information is now available on the go. This
advancement in technology has brought with it some negatives as people are
being abused and victimized online.
“It is
very important that we educate our people and equip them with requisite skills
on how they can be safe online. We are training our citizens and community
leaders on how to use information and communication technologies safely,” said
Mkudu.
He said
a lot of people have fallen victim to fake news which has had an undermining
effect in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Combating
misinformation and disinformation during Covid-19 is very important. Fake news
through social media is undermining the fight against Covid-19 and it’s
important for citizens to have skills to recognise fake news,” said Mkudu.
