UNITED Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Beatrice Muthali has called on the media to avoid misinforming the public and spreading hate speech but to stick to journalistic ethics in their practice.
Ms. Muthali says the world is currently faced with the challenge of hate speech and misinformation as more people are able to share information with their gadgets, a situation she observed has negative effects on society.
ZANIS reports that Ms Munthali said this in a speech read on her behalf by UN Senior Human Rights Advisor, Anganile Mwenifumbo during the Press Dialogue on hate speech and misinformation organised with the Bloggers of Zambia.
Ms. Muthali stated that the media plays a critical role in shaping public opinion, informing communities, and upholding the principles of truth and accountability and must therefore, commit to practice ethical journalism.
“We have witnessed many examples of the negative impact of hate speech including triggering civil strife, genocide and the dehumanizing treatment of certain members of society because of their race, tribe, gender or other factors. Hate speech and misinformation pose significant threats to peace, democracy, and human rights in our societies,” she said.
Bloggers of Zambia Deputy Board Chairperson Misozi Tembo said the emergence of digital media has not only created a platform for information sharing but has also created a platform for misinformation as most of the information shared is unverified.
Ms. Tembo added that untrained social media influencers have contributed to the spread of hate speech and false information, while their followers form opinions based on the unverified information.
She has challenged traditional media to engage in critical thinking, fact finding and verification of information as they still carry the responsibility and privilege to promote truthful reporting.
University of Zambia Lecturer Elastus Mambwe challenged the media houses to utilize their platforms to engage with the public and sensitize them on hate speech and misinformation.
And UN Zambia Peace and Development Advisor Noria Mashumba tasked the media to fight hate speech against women in politics especially towards elections.
The Press Dialogue attracted participation from various stakeholders in the media and civil society.
