[Podcast] Capitalk Tech Talk: Fake News On Social Media

It’s not a secret that fake news is now a part of our daily lives as we spend more time online consuming information from different sources. Such sources range from websites run by traditional and reputable media houses to chat applications like WhatsApp.

With so many ways to get information, the question “What is true” is often asked. Today, during the Capitalk Tech Talk, Owen Kaura (@owenkaura), news anchor at Capitalk FM, and Farai Mudzingwa (@FariM9), tech writer here at Techzim, discussed the topic of fake news on social media and looked at questions like:

• What is news?
• Why does bad news/gossip sell more than good news?
• What is fake news?
• How did it start?
• How do we know which websites to trust online?
• Is the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPA) being applied to curb fake news on social media?
• Are there other instruments that the government or media players can use to guard against fake news?
• What damage can fake news do to a city or country especially Zimbabwe during and after the election?

Listeners who tuned in live joined in the discussion by sending their questions or calling in. In case you missed the live show, you can listen to this relevant conversation as Zimbabwe’s election day approaches by clicking the play button below.

We’d also love to hear your thoughts regarding this topic or any of the questions above so feel free to leave a comment down below and let’s discuss.