Blog

Interview with Bella Twine – Debunk Media Initiative

Today we talk about infodemics and fake news with Bella Twine, activist and journalist for Debunk Media Initiative. Happy reading!

What is the activity you carry out and why is it important?

I am in charge of verifying the news circulating in Uganda in offline and online media. With the company I work for, Debunk Media Initiative, we help journalists and train university students (about 300 at the moment) in checking news, sources and scientific data. We also have funded projects and run our own podcast and YouTube channel, a BOT on Whatsapp and an app to verify information by involving Ugandans living abroad who can tell us if this is really the truth. We do this because if a leader is lying, it is difficult to find out, because data are often hard to find or are out of date. Hence, people believe the ‘experts’ and often chaos is generated and haters proliferate.

How much has Covid impacted on this scenario?

It simply amplified what was already going on….as in the case of the war between Israel and Palestine.  In our case, during the Covid crisis in Uganda there were supposed to be elections, an extremely sensitive time due to the increase in the amount of false information, propaganda, etc. The private media, which are not always impartial, play a role in this.

What is the risk for people who are poorer and therefore more vulnerable to fake news?

The poorest people are more exposed, partly because misinformation circulates on social media and reaches the most remote villages. Sometimes it is rumours that reach remote places, like the idea that Uganda’s President Museveni survived an assassination attempt because he turned into a cat. There is no way to combat this except with education. And that, again, is why our target audience is students and journalists.

Has your activity also been discredited?

Sure, for some we are an agenda point because we push for a different, truer narrative. A bit like what happened with the conspiracy theories for vaccines.

How do you defend yourself against this?

We show the process behind the news, so that everyone can then verify for themselves and confront experts.

Is artificial intelligence changing things for the better or for the worse?

In general it is making things more complicated but in fact we also use AI, for example with the algorithm of our APP against fake news.

Do you recommend a book or a film to delve into this world?

Sure…the Netflix series MINDHUNTER and the book WHY FIREFLIES GLOW, by Edward B. Rugumayo.

NB: The interviews reported here are not part of paid commercial services. They are for the sole purpose of sharing ideas, projects and reflections among De-LAB newsletter subscribers.a gli iscritti alla newsletter De-LAB.