UEW, Penplusbytes train journalists to tackle AI fake news and misinformation

• UEW, Penplusbytes and the Centre for Communication Education Research trained journalists on combating AI-driven fake news and misinformation.

• Participants learned fact-checking and digital verification skills to identify fake content and deepfakes online.

• Organisers urged journalists to strengthen ethical reporting and verification practices to protect public trust.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the media landscape, journalists are increasingly being challenged by the growing spread of misinformation, manipulated content and AI-generated fake news.

To help media practitioners navigate these challenges, the Centre for Communication Education Research and Professional Development, in collaboration with the School of Communication and Media Studies at the University of Education, Winneba and Penplusbytes, organised a capacity-building workshop for journalists and media professionals on May 7, 2026.

The programme was organised under the theme: “Tackling Information Disorder, AI-Driven Fake News, and Ethical Journalism through Media and Information Literacy Skills.”

The workshop brought together media practitioners for practical sessions on fact-checking, digital verification tools, ethical reporting and responsible content creation at a time when distinguishing between authentic and manipulated information is becoming increasingly difficult.

Dean of the School of Communication and Media Studies, Prof Albert A. Wornyo, hosted the event, underscoring the role of academic institutions in promoting credible journalism and professional media development.

Facilitating the sessions were , Head of Journalism and Media Studies, Prof Gifty Appiah-Adjei, Emmanuel Koranteng Asomani, Programme Manager at Penuplusbytes and Rebecca Avusu, Project Coordinator at Penuplusbytes.

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Speaking during the workshop, Prof Appiah-Adjei explained that the training aimed at equipping participants with media and information literacy competencies that would enable them to responsibly assess, verify and evaluate information before publishing content.

According to her, journalists must develop stronger information literacy, media literacy and digital literacy skills to ensure accuracy and credibility in their reporting, particularly when sourcing stories online.

Also speaking at the workshop, Mr Asomani highlighted how technological advancements and artificial intelligence have transformed journalism, making it increasingly difficult to separate truthful information from false content online.

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He noted that while AI has contributed to the spread of misinformation, journalists can also leverage digital tools and technology to combat fake news and improve fact-checking processes.

As part of the training, participants were introduced to several verification tools, including Google Reverse Image Search, TinEye and Yandex, which can be used to check the authenticity of images and online content before publication.

Mr Asomani explained that Penplusbytes has spent more than two decades promoting media and information literacy as a strategy to combat misinformation and disinformation across different segments of society.

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According to him, equipping citizens and journalists with media literacy skills enables them to critically evaluate online information, identify misleading content and make informed decisions before sharing information on social media.

He stressed the need for Ghana to prioritise media and information literacy education, especially as digital platforms continue to shape how people consume and interact with information daily.

Speaking to one of the organisers, Dr. Rainbow Sackey, also explained that the training became necessary due to the increasing spread of information disorder across both traditional and digital media platforms. According to him, misinformation, disinformation and malinformation have become widespread, with politicians, media practitioners and ordinary citizens all contributing to the circulation of misleading content, especially on social media.

He noted that the situation has created uncertainty around the credibility of information consumed online and even through mainstream media channels.

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Dr Sackey expressed concern that some media practitioners sometimes rely on unverified social media content as sources for stories without properly confirming the authenticity of the information.

He explained that the workshop was intentionally organised in the Central Region to support journalists within the UEW community and strengthen local media capacity outside Accra.

He revealed that about 30 media practitioners from the Central Region participated in the workshop and 12 media outlets were represented.

He further encouraged participants to extend the knowledge gained by training other journalists within their respective newsrooms to collectively help combat misinformation and information disorder in Ghana.

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Participants at the workshop expressed appreciation for the training, describing it as timely and relevant in an era of rising misinformation and AI-generated fake content. Many called for more of such capacity-building programmes to help journalists strengthen fact-checking, digital verification and ethical reporting skills.

The workshop reflected growing efforts by academic institutions and media development organisations to strengthen ethical journalism and protect public trust in information as artificial intelligence continues to transform the global media environment.