By Smith Nwokocha

An Overview of TRACK 3! Focus Topic: INFODEMIC MANAGEMENT.

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION DISORDER AND INFODEMICS.

Goal: How do we navigate the noise, identifying and countering misinformation. Enhancing the quality of public health communication.

THEME FOR TRACK 3: ANALYZE, VERIFY AND AMPLIFY.

What is information Disorder? Deliberate or accidental spread of false or misleading information. Three different types: Mis-Dis-Mal Information.

Common forms of Information Disorder:

Satire/Parody, Misleading content, Imposter content, Fabricated content, False connection, False content and Manipulated content.

Three Elements of Information Disorder:

Agent, Message, Interpreter.

What is Infodemics?

An infodemic is too much information, including false or misleading information in digital and physical environment.

Key Terms in Infodemics:

Viral, Overabundance, Infodemic Drivers, Confirmation Bias, Echo Chambers, Clickbait.

Note: Information Disorder affects all of society, which include individual, family, community, public health, and society. We all have a role to play.

HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF INFORMATION DISORDER LEADING TO INFODEMICS:

Pre-Internet Era

20^th Century Development

Transition to the Digital Age.

INFODEMICS AND THE MEDIA:

Infodemics is an event, that leads to information disorder-overload of information. The rise of the internet changed everything, including the way we communicate. Social media is new order. Algorithm is the New Editor. Infodemics threatens the Media, making the Media to fight Trust. Fighting Infodemics is the integral work of the Media because it threatens the profession.

Understanding Infodemics in a Digital Age.

INFODEMICS AND HEALTH

“Once there is no trust, infodemics will thrive. We must work to address this new challenge”. Hannatu Bello.

Undermining Trust in Public Health Measures:

In some countries, misinformation has generated mistrust in Government, Public health Authorities and Science. Promotion of harmful practices. Stigmatization and Discrimination. Overwhelmed Healthcare Systems. During Ebola outbreak, there were rumuors…

INFODEMICS AND THE POPULATION

Infodemics and disease outbreaks have complex and intertwined relationship.

Relationship between Infodemics and Disease Prevention and Control.

Relationship between Infodemics and Governance

Mitigation Strategies

HIGHTLIGHTING DAY 2:

Module 2: Information Ecosystem and Motivation for Infodemics:

What is Ecosystem: The interconnected network of various sources, channels, and platforms that facilitate the creation, dissemination, and consumption of information within a particular order. The ecosystem includes traditional media outlets, social media, websites, individuals, Organizations, Governments, and other entities that contributes to the production and flow of information and influence how it is accessed and understood by the community or audience.

Elements of a Community Information Ecosystem:

Infrastructure, Skills, Supply.

Key Players in the Information Ecosystem:

Information producers, Information consumers, Media platforms and Channels, Information intermediaries, Regulatory and Policy framework, Technology, and Infrastructure, Cultural and Social Dynamics, Economics Factors, Public Health and Crisis Communication Strategy, Community Engagement and Citizen Participation.

Infodemics Cake Model:

Science, Policy/Healthcare Practices, News Media, social media, and Community.

Motivation and Impact of Infodemics:

Motivation For Infodemics: Ideology, Politics, Radicalization, Profit, Status, Attention, Humour, and Harm.

Driving Factors that Sustain Infodemics: Technology, Psychology, Language, and Info-void.

Impacts of Infodemics: Population, Cross-cutting, Media and Health.

Addressing the Impacts of Infodemics:

Public Education, Media Literacy, Fact-Checking, Digital Platform Accountability, Ethical Content Moderation, Regulatory Frameworks, Global Collaborations, Responsible Journalism and Transparent Communication from Authorities.

Fact-Checking: How can fact-checking address the impact of infodemics.

INFODEMICS AND THE AUDIENCE:

Your strongest relationship in life is your relationship with information. Language is one of the strongest links to audience.

Shaping the Content.

Behind Audience Segmentation:

Audience Profiling: an Audience Profiling helps describe a member of the audience as a “typical person” representing the audience segment. An audience profile can be developed for all prioritized audiences- primary and influencing.

Offline Audience Profiling

Online Algorithm.

“Knowing Your Audience through Infodemics Lens”.

“Health News is not always exciting, but when you look at it from the Audience Lens, it becomes exciting”. Mr. Oliver Lorkase.

Enhancing Video Storytelling: Tips and Techniques for Creating Engaging Visual Content:

Impact of visual storytelling on Journalism: Enhancing News Delivery, Story Amplification, Audience Reach and Relevance.

Visual Storytelling Techniques: Narrative Structure, Visual Consistency, Data Visualization.

Techniques for Compelling Video Narratives: Strong Narrative Arc, Keep Your Target Audience in Mind.

Considering the Four P’s of Storytelling: 1) People 2) Plot 3) Place 4) Purpose.

INFODEMIC DYNAMICS AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT:

“Everything happens in a community, and it enables one categorize the Actors.” Dr. Yahya Disu.

What is Infodemic Dynamics? Infodemic dynamics refer to the complex and often rapid interactions, processes and phenomena that occur with an infodemic.

Infodemic Dynamics and Crisis: Generation, Momentum and Dynamism.

Digital Influence on Behaviour: information Algorithm and Personification, Language use, Cognitive Psychology.

Crisis Management: It refers to the process of preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and learning from crises or critical incidents that can significantly impact an organization, community, or society. Effective Crisis Management: involves proactive planning, rapid responses, communication strategies, resource allocation, coordination, and continuous improvement.

Pillars of Crisis Management: Prevention (Minimize), Preparedness (readiness), Detection (early warning), Response (mitigation and restoration).

MANAGING INFODEMICS, NIGERIA’S EXPERIENCE: INFODEMICS STRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS-STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING INFODEMICS.

Three (3) things’ standouts in managing infodemics: 1) Strategies 2) Principles 3) Approaches, aimed at mitigating the spread of mis-information.

Nigeria’s Approach to Infodemic Management:

Nigeria Infodemic Management Team (NIMT) in 2020, established to manage misinformation about disease outbreak (e.g COVID-19).

Nigeria Infodemic Management System 2024.

Identify-Simplify-Amplify-Quantify = Coordination.

Social Media Health Influencing My Experience (Chinonso Egemba aka Aproko Doctor):

Some insights:

People love stories.

Social Media platforms are more of sensationalism and your clicking/scrolling is the currency.

Do Relatable Stories, Ask Questions, Put Specific Numbers, “Videos you don’t plan, gov viral easily than planned videos”.

In targeting the Audience: “Communication is effective, when it’s both ways”. You have to make your audience feel like they belong to a Community and it’s easier to influence in such manner. TikTok is like the next University.

In creating content, don’t put yourself first, rather your audience. “Mis-information” happen in social media, because social media is not regulated.

 

MANAGING INFODEMICS: STRATEGIES

Facts or Fictions?

What are the factors for the anticipated severity of misinformation and disinformation?

Note: “The reason A.I is used to counter misinformation, is because A.I created the problem of misinformation.” Abara Erim.

1. Technological Advancements (N/B: “Those who will lead the future, are those who lead in Technology”).
2. Elections and Political Processes.
3. Societal Polarization
4. Economic and Social Vulnerability
5. Persistent Technological Evolution
6. Regulatory Challenges
7. Global Fragmentation
8. Environmental and Geopolitical shift.

Infodemic is more than mis-information.

Information void- Questions-Concerns-Misinformation-Disinformation.

Infodemics Affect All of Society: Individual – Family – Community – Sectors

Managing Infodemics involves a Multifaceted Approaches: First level = Individual, Next level = Interpersonal/Community/Groups and Final level = Institutions/Structures/Systems. All are centered on “Information”.

Infodemic Management Approach: Prebunking, Innoculation and Debunking. Note: “If you have to sell, tell stories”.

Reflection Video.

Fact-Checking: Practical Steps and Sources. (Africa Check)

Myths and Facts

Fact-Checking: It is an important part of Journalism. It is a process of verifying information. Available data, Media Accuracy, Evidence-based public debate, Policy, and decision making. “People make decisions based on the information they have”. Allwell Okpi.

Tips on Identifying Information Disorder:

Develop a critical mindset, Check the source, the author, the publication.

Determine whether others are reporting the same news, Sensational headlines are red flags.

Ask yourself why this was created, Don’t take online photos and videos at face value, Check the facts, examine the evidence and ask the Experts.

5 Steps Fact-Checking Process:

1. Identify the original source and verify the content.
2. Define the terms and concepts within the claim.
3. Inspect the evidence using the latest reliable data.
4. Ask the Expert.
5. Set out your evidence.

Note: You must always have your goal in mind-the public-

Fact-checking Tools:

OSINT Essentials, Reveye App, Reverse Image Search, Ivid App, etc

FACT-CHECKING WITH A.I.

Infodemic Management and A.I Integration.

Tools: Copyleaks AI Content Detector, Zero GPT, Deepfake Detector, We Verify

SEO?

Keyword Targeting, High Quality Content, Mobile Friendly Design.

VACCINES AND INFODEMICS

All about Vaccines. What ingredients go into a vaccine? There are broad range of different types of vaccines, but one thing they usually have in common is that they are inherently….

A Typical Vaccine Roadmap for drug Clinical Trials:

Step 1: Exploratory – Research

Step 2: Pre-Clinical – Safety and Efficacy

Step 3: Clinical – Safety and Efficacy in Humans.

Step 4: Regulatory Review and Approval – Licensure.

Step 5: Production – Scaling up.

Step 6: Quality Control – Performance, review.

What is Drug Trial?

Drug trials are clinical research trials conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of various drugs in human subject.

Blinding, randomization, adequate power, and a clinically relevant population of patients are considered the hallmarks of high-quality drug trials.

Stages of Drug Trial?

Phase 1: Screens the investigational drug for safety.

Phase 2: The experimental drug testing takes place within a larger group of participants (typically 100 to 300) to determine its efficacy and to further evaluate its safety.

Phase 3: Conducted to obtain final confirmation of its safety and effectiveness.

Phase 4: Take place following the approval of the drug sold in the market and provide additional evidence regarding the risks, benefits, and optimal use of the drug.

How does vaccines works?

How does the body respond to pathogens?

What do antibodies do?

So antibodies will attack any virus?

No antibodies are made to target one specific pathogen, just like a lock that can only be opened by one specific key.

What happens after the illness is over?

After the first infection, the immune system remembers how to protect the body from that specific pathogen.

Where do vaccines come in? Vaccines help the body resist future occurrence…  

Definition of Terms

Vaccination, Immunization, Herd Immunity and Vaccine Hesitancy.

ADDRESSING VACCINE MISINFORMATION:

“Communication is an Art and it takes practicing” Dr. Olayinka Umar-Farouk

Why do we worry about Vaccine Acceptance?

Vaccines are one of the most effective life-saving interventions in history of mankind and prevent millions of deaths each year.

Vaccination Acceptance Continuum.

What influences a person’s Vaccine Acceptance?

5 C’s of Vaccine Acceptance.

How can we support our audience to make the best decisions for vaccination?  

1. Empathy: Empathy is critical to building trust. Providing information and data is not enough to build trust.
2. Active Listening: is a way to listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding.
3. Persuasive Communication: Basically, it means communication that is aimed at creating, reinforcing, or changing people’s belief or actions. “The essence of Persuasion is Strategic Thinking”.

Note: “Adapt Your Communication with Your Audience”..Dr. Olayinka Umar-Farouk.

Tips to Address Vaccine Misinformation
Know Your Audience, Segment them, Understand Them and Bucket Them.

Communication is two-way: Message, Messenger, Format, Frequency and Medium.

“The Messenger is as important as the Message”. Dr. Olayinka Umar-Farouk.

“Empathy can transform disagreement in real life into productive talk”.

In Summary, Addressing Misinformation:

Provide the Science, Use clear and shareable and easy to modify content and reference trustworthy.

“It’s all about focus and focus demands sacrifice”.. Eze Eze.

THE ROLE OF MEDIA INFOMEDIC MANAGEMENT

Information Dissemination, Stimulating Discussion and Citizen Participation.

Educational Role, Countering Disinformation, Collaboration with Authorities.

Building Resilience Against Misinformation:

Media Literacy, Health Literacy, and Infodemic Literacy.

 

AFCON SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN REPORT

What has been done (January to February).

Social Media Analytics

What worked:

Organic dissemination of posts, Posts felt natural, Influencers used multiple languages, Multiple ways to promote the life course approach, and Availability of SBC materials.

S.W.OT.

Lessons learned.

Humanize Social media content.

Reflection Video

Other Business and updates for fellows.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACILITATORS (FACULTY OF MEDIA EIS FELLOWSHIP)

Adunta Onukony, AFRICA CDC

Eze Eze Ogali, BA-NIGERIA

Oliver Lorkase, AFENET-NIGERIA

Hannatu Bello, NIGERIA CDC

Abiodun Ogunniyi NIGERIA CDC

Oluwadimilare NIGERIA CDC

Leslie Udoh, BA-NIGERIA

Yahya Disu, NIGERIA CDC

Joseph Njoku, BA-NIGERIA

Abara Erim, NIGERIA HEALTH WATCH

Allwell Okpi, AFRICA CHECK

Polycarp Samson SALAM, AFENET-NIGERIA

Olayinka Umar-Farouk, BA-NIGERIA

Milliscent Nnwoka, CHANNELS TV

Ramatu, BA-NIGERIA