The Minister of Communication and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has launched this year’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) with a plea to the media to leverage its platforms and networks in order to increase awareness on the risks with the cyber space.
Under the theme: ‘Combating misinformation/disinformation in a digitally resilient democracy; our collective responsibility’, this year’s event seeks to raise awareness about the pervasive nature of misinformation/disinformation and its potential impact on electoral integrity, peace, and security.
It is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation,and it is expectedto serve as a medium to foster collaboration and coordination among stakeholders to develop comprehensive strategies for mitigating the spread of misinformation/disinformation.
During the launch event held at the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday, MrsOwusu-Ekuful expressed the hope that all Ghanaians utilising the internet would seize this opportunity to educate themselves on the safe use of online platforms, while also promoting the safety of others in the digital space.
“As we embark on this year’s NCSAM, it is imperative to rally together to make this initiative a resounding success. We call on identifiable groups, Civil Society Organisations, the Media, and the Ghanaian public to actively engage in NCSAM,” she stressed.
She noted that even though digitalisation was bringing remarkable economic and societal benefits to a majority of the global population and Ghanaians, it was worth reminding that these technologies, irrespective of the opportunities they create, had inherent risks which could be taken advantage of by cybercriminals.
This, she said, could have detrimental effects on individuals, enterprises, societies, and nations at large.
“Studies have shown that an increasing reliance on the Internet has created more risks and vulnerabilities, and opened up new possibilities for criminal activity,” she noted.
The Minister further said the dependence on technology raised concerns about the spread of misinformation and disinformation, which could destabilise the country’s democratic processes and governance, thereby eroding trust in institutions.
She explained that misinformation referred to false or misleading information shared without ill intent, while disinformation was deliberately falsified information designed to deceive.
She, however, noted that both posed substantial risks, especially as the country approached a pivotal electoral moment in December.
To this end, she stated that it was therefore essential for all stakeholders to actively engage in safeguarding the integrity of the country’s information ecosystems.
“A resilient digital democracy is built on the principles of inclusivity, accuracy, transparency and accountability, where citizens, governments, media, technology developers and civil society organisations work together to ensure the integrity of democratic processes,” she emphasised.
Moreover, she indicated that collective effort in this direction was crucial in the face of disinformation, which could spread rapidly through digital channels, reaching millions of people in a matter of seconds.
“CSA will be engaging faith-based organisations in a “door-to-door” campaign to reach out to the masses and to educate them on issues related to misinformation and disinformation, among other safe cyber practices,” she indicated.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL