A study has revealed that about 64.4% of Ghanaians “ignore” and do nothing to protest or caution others when they see fake news or false information in the media.
This revelation is contained in the findings of a two-month-long research by the nonpartisan think tank, the African Center for Quality Journalism and Research, conducted between October and November 2024, titled the Disinformation Status Report of Ghana.
Out of 89.2% of respondents who said they had encountered fake news in the media, about 35.6% say they usually “comment” under such false stories, 19.7% say they “report it,” and 7.6% say they “send it to a friend.”
The study also revealed that when asked how they identified fake news in the media, about 68.2% of respondents said they visited “credible websites,” 19.7% said they conducted a “Google search,” 6.8% said they “asked a friend,” and 5.3% were uncertain.
The research further showed that of the trusted sources of news or information, about 37.4% of respondents chose television, followed by “online news websites” with 26.7% and social media with 26%.
Newspapers are also trusted sources of information, with 6.1%, and 3.1% saying they trust information from “family and friends.”
The study showed that radio is the least trusted source of information among the respondents, with 0.8% selecting it.
The African Center for Quality Journalism and Research conducted this survey between October and November 2024, and 2,000 people nationwide participated.
“The study aimed to understand the threat of disinformation campaigns to Ghana’s 2024 General Election.
It also focused on assessing the Ghanaian electorate’s knowledge of disinformation campaigns, their ability to detect fake news in the media, and ways to combat the spread of false information,” the Disinformation Status Report of Ghana said.
Of the respondents, about 71.2% are males, 28% are females, and 0.8% preferred not to disclose their gender.
Out of the total number of respondents who participated in the survey, about 94.6% are registered voters (with 11.4% being first-time voters), and 5.4% are not registered to vote in the upcoming election.
The African Center for Quality Journalism and Research is a non-profit, nonpartisan think tank that leverages data and digital tools to promote quality journalism and public accountability in Africa.
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