The event themed “Using the Virtual Public Space for the 2020 Elections Campaign” will be held on July 18, 2020.
This, according to them, is as part of plans to contribute its quota towards achieving peaceful elections with credible outcomes in the face of restrictions brought about by COVID-19.
According to IDEG, virtual mediums such as radio, TV, webinars, and social media, although very powerful and important for the upcoming elections have some inhibitions which if not addressed could pose a threat to the country’s peace and stability.
The Democratic Governance institute also registered its displeasure about the fact that technology is used to promote impunity and undermine the integrity of parliamentary and presidential elections.
“The influx of commercial radio and television stations in the country coupled with the emergence of social media has contributed to the rise of misinformation, hate speech and negative propaganda.”
Recent communication research has revealed that about 70% of Ghanaians have encountered misinformation, however, 75% of Ghanaians consider misinformation to be frequent. Most of the negative information is usually targeted at politics and election related activities. Currently, there are over 350 commercial radio stations and more than 30 television stations operating in Ghana, separate from international media houses that broadcast through satellite and digital subscriptions. The danger is that a third of these media houses are owned by individuals with well-known party affiliation, therefore if unregulated, hate speech, fake news and propaganda are likely to dominate electoral campaigning over the airwaves far more than in previous elections,” it established in a press statement.
Read the full statement below:
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