{"id":5747,"date":"2020-09-07T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2020-09-07T07:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=5747"},"modified":"2020-10-12T21:30:23","modified_gmt":"2020-10-12T20:30:23","slug":"the-ever-evolving-nature-of-fact-checking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/the-ever-evolving-nature-of-fact-checking\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ever-evolving Nature of Fact-checking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Silas Jonathan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Oxford Dictionary describes fact-checking<\/a> as a process simply seeking to \u201cinvestigate (an issue) in order to verify the facts.\u201d However, while illuminating, this concise meaning is restricted in its awareness of the pragmatic outworkings of what constitutes fact-checking. This is important especially when we put into consideration the divergence, and scope of the practice of fact-checking, as well as the contexts–social, political, and cultural–in which fact-checking has become a predominant practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Nigeria, fact-checking continues to diversify its cogency; developing new structures of knowledge that are not only rigid to print media but also open to how Broadcast Journalists can fact check <\/a>the continually evasive misinformation in the multimedia space. But not just that, multiple explainers are also shared to assist individuals to navigate their way amidst the flood of information, even on matters that may appear common but complex, like accepting internet cookies, given that not all cookies are meant to be consumed<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironically,  as the knowledge of fact-checking continues to broaden, so seems to be the spread of misinformation and disinformation<\/a>. Even so, a  scourge of fake information on sensitive matters that appear to care less about the effects or  consequences are on the rise; just as an upsurge of faith-based claims that are outside the orbit of ascertainable truth, most of which we eventually tend to verify to be false.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of such sensitive claims Dubawa uncovered to be untrue, possess the capacity to trigger crises and even magnanimous uproar in the society. The false claim that alleged Muslims to have burnt an  Igbo boy alive for urinating close to Mosque<\/a> can easily provoke tension, so also the untrue claim about NBS records on mosques without bank accounts<\/a>, and even the treacherous claim on southern Kaduna tension that shared inexact photos<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The transition from COVID-19 related claims to these sensitive, ticking time bomb and tumultuous claims, suggests the ever-evolving nature of Fact-checking as not just a process of seeking to \u201cinvestigate (an issue) in order to verify the facts”<\/a> but also a precaution to societal issues, prevention for catastrophes and also an explainer of matters that relates to the common man.   For if ideas rule the world as it’s been said,  fact-checking becomes even more crucial in understanding, exploring, and evaluating these ideas,  which Dubawa remains committed to, especially in Nigeria and soon Africa at large. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact checks of the week<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No NBS records show 96% of mosques without bank accounts<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A viral message on Facebook claims that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data show that 96% of mosques in Nigeria do not operate bank accounts. Further, the message claims\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why did Samsung and MTN beat a hurried retreat after garnering kudos on social media for COVID public service?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A message circulating on WhatsApp since 17th of August claimed that two telecommunications companies, MTN and Samsung, have donated smartphones and free\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FALSE: Americans not warned to shun Sierra Leone in their travel plans<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the 10th of August 2020, the Awareness Times Newspaper in one of its news items claimed that the US State Department has published a statement warning its citizens to avoid visiting Sierra Leone because of the\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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QandA<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is the Update on Vaccine?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of September 6th, the John Hopkins coronavirus map shows 879,580<\/a> global deaths from the recorded 26,882,530<\/a> confirmed cases. As the global coronavirus count becomes intensive, so is the effort to produce a vaccine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to The Conversation<\/a>, there are 32 vaccines in human trial around the world. Vaccines from 3 Chinese companies (Sinovac<\/a>, CanSino<\/a> and Sinopharm) are all in stage 3 clinical trials. Additionally, The New York Times Coronavirus Vaccine tracker says<\/a> at least 91 preclinical vaccines are under active investigation in animals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recall that the Russian government has been criticized for not publishing the results for the phase 1 and 2 and also for announcing a cure that hasn\u2019t gone through stage three. The new developments revealed by the coronavirus tracker are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n