National and international speakers led the masterclass on “Fact-Checking: Countering Fake News in Modern Media for supporting Democracies,” on August 30, 2022.

Mr. Gordon Farrer from RMIT University Australia joined via video link to talk about user-generated content and the use of open-source intelligence (OSINT) for journalists. Veteran journalist Mr. Nasir Jamal from Dawn conducted a session on authenticity in newspapers.

A panel discussion was held with students of Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) moderated by Dr. Rahman Ullah Khan, Chairman Department of Mass Communication, KUST. The discussion was focused on the use of social media by students in KPK and FATA and how they navigate different narratives. They also shared that the rise of social media has made the spreading of misinformation easier and faster than ever before.

The sessions also emphasized the fact that at its core, journalism is the conveying of information. It has the ability to shape people’s beliefs and opinions. It can open a reader’s mind to experiences half a world away, build a person’s legacy or destroy a reputation. One article can start a worldwide revolution; so, it’s important to get the facts straight.

Even a post on Twitter or Facebook should be backed up by a reliable source. If a fact can’t be verified, no matter how much it’s trending online, leave it out of the story. A good journalist fact-checks everything.

For more pics click on the link:

https://www.facebook.com/PakUSAlumni/photos/pcb.8207551129284905/8207533002620051/