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| Journalists exploring modules during the training session in Yaounde |
Journalists attending a week long training session in a Yaoundé, have embarked acquiring lessons on the
different modules prepared for the workshop, geared towards their practice in
the profession. In the course, they have met and listened to different
experts and facilitators who gave out lessons depending on their field of
competence or expertise.As they fine tune their skill in reporting in conflict situations or during elections and were provided with the tools to
manage some of the challenges faced on the field.
Accompanied with
studies and some practical lessons, participants were opened to a question and
answer session especially on topics like The Stakes and challenges on fair
reporting, Media and Elections, Digital Security and Big Data. Dr Etoa Georges,
explains that its is Important for Journalists to equip themselves better on
what entails to cover elections before doing so and were encouraged, to have a mastery
of the electoral code given the Political Context of Cameroon, in order to
avoid reporting on any content that will spark violence.
The training that centered
around Media, Peace and Elections, Mr Etoa George also explained that there is
knowledge on legality and legitimacy of Press restrictions, laws and
regulations concerning information and communication. And that this must never
hinder journalists ability to present a range of ideas and opinions that arise
in an election campaign. Journalists are suppose to protect their sources and
yet be wary of being manipulated and be influenced in their reports and also, must remember that their objectivity and neutrality
will give the public or their different target audience the right information.
Despite the rights that
gives access to information for Journalists, they are still called to be aware
on Digital Security, to prevent a situation of arrest, detention, intimidation
or threat of life and Miss Prudence Noutcham a facilitator, skilled in this
part of technology, drilled Journalists on the different ways to protect
information using the different devices in their procession in Communication.
Journalists in the session proved ignorant about some of the techniques they
needed to use in protecting their different content and shared ideas, while considering the need to update their way of preserving information, based on the
lessons learnt.
Miss Prudence laid
emphasis on the need for Digital Security and exposed trainees to reflect on
reasons why some platforms provided the opportunity for browsers to get free
access to other sites. She also
enlightened trainees on the reasons why such sites were easily accessible and
also gave reasons for the high possibility that this could give room for
hackers to have access to the privacy of users by use of links.
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| Slides shown during the training session |
Journalists were also
faced with the question of who should regulate hate speech and fake news ,
which appeared, to be one of the major topics discussed in the training and the
challenge of knowing how to decipher what hate speech is, before
regulating it. The reasons why to regulate Hate Speech, is to curb the effects
of it online and offline and preserve national unity, integrity, public order,
thereby promoting responsible citizen journalism and to foster Peace. But, Who should regulate it becomes a million
dollar question.
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| Mr Sakah Bernard teaches on Hate Speech and Fake News |
Mr Sakah Bernard talks
of about 6 million people having access to internet and about 3.4 million people
of that same population, In Cameroon, have access to social Media, and the
question of proposing content on what information should be used or diffused
online or on public platforms is in a way tampering with Digital Rights.
Therefore Promoting Democratic values and Principles, enhancing social cohesion
to counter radicalization, will need someone or an institution to regulate Hate
speech and fake news and if that same regulatory body uses or promote hate
speech, the challenge will even be huge.
Adding ingredient to
how hate speech and fake news can be handled, there was room for an exchange
between Journalists and Members of Parliament Invited, who saw the need for this
phenomenon to be punishable by law imposed by Government, which might also be
one of the recommendations arrived at, from the Training with Cameroonian
Journalists. Members of Parliament, Honorable Njume Peter and Honorable
Pangnashi Roland started discussions by engaging Journalists to understand how sometimes bad reports can influence smooth functioning in Administration.
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| Members of Parliament in an Exchange with Journalists |
Honorable Njume Peter explained that though there had been continuity of fake
news and hate speech after the Major National Dialogue, he perceives calm will
return if recommendations of the Major National Dialogue are implemented. He proposed that if Journalists could sit as a body and do a write up
or do proposals, being the eye, ears and mouth of the people, and forward to
Parliament, this action will create an impact and will be a trigger for those
in Parliament to prepare a Bill that could help improve on the Digital rights
of Cameroonians.
Trainees in an Exchange with Members of Parliament on Hate Speech
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