Last week, HER Internet hosted a two days’ workshop on Misinformation and Disinformation in Kampala following their one month long social media advocacy drive on the same topic. The initiative which was supported by Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Central Africa (CIPESA Uganda) sought to empower structurally silenced women especially LBQ womxn with knowledge on how to identify and combat the effects of false information in this digital age.

“Misinformation and disinformation are out of everyone’s control. It is hard to bring the train back after information has been spread out there. The best thing to do is to sensitize the masses about misinformation and disinformation so that when information comes their way, they are in position to discern it,” the Executive Director at HER Internet, Sandra Kwikiriza explained to the participant during her submission on the relevance and importance of the workshop.

Kettie Kahume, HER Internet’s Deputy Executive Director and one of the Facilitators of the dialogue shared in a presentation the genesis of sharing falsehoods over factual information especially when it comes to marginalized womxn. “Misinformation has always been there as an old tactic of social manipulation. Misinformation is as a result of information overload whereas disinformation is as a result of information scarcity,” Kettie noted.
Participants delved into topics of discussion which encompassed manifestations, effects and solutions to misinformation and disinformation in this digital age with emphasis on structurally silenced womxn in Uganda and ways on how to differentiate between the facts and false information.

The participants were made to understand their role in peddling either misinformation or disinformation and made commitments to be the change agents on these issues. For more information on misinformation and disinformation, please check on HER INTERNET website and social media!