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Media Stakeholders Urge Self-Regulation to Tackle Unethical Use of Artificial Intelligence - Women Radio 91.7

Media Stakeholders Urge Self-Regulation to Tackle Unethical Use of Artificial Intelligence

Emmanuel Olonade

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s media industry have called for urgent self-regulation to tackle the growing menace of unethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is fast becoming a dangerous driver of misinformation, disinformation, and biased content in the digital space.

This was the strong consensus reached during a special webinar organised by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Nigeria in partnership with Penpushing Media to mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day. The session, themed “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media,” brought together leading voices from the media, academia, and policy circles.

Speaking during the discussion, Sir Eddy Aina, former Director at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ms Amina Yuguda of Media Trust Group, and Dr Ganiyat Tijani-Adenle of Lagos State University all agreed that while AI offers powerful tools for investigative journalism, multilingual content creation, and fact-checking, it also carries dangerous potentials. From deepfakes to AI-generated misinformation, they warned that these new technologies can easily be weaponised against the public and even pose threats to press freedom.

To combat these risks, the panel recommended the creation of an “AI and Media Observatory” a body of media professionals, AI ethicists, fact-checkers, and policymakers to monitor and counter AI-driven misinformation. They also called for training programmes to equip journalists with the skills to responsibly use AI, as well as a nationwide public awareness campaign to promote media and information literacy.

In his opening remarks, Mr Roland Kayanja, UNIC Country Director, underscored the critical role of journalists in upholding democracy, especially amid rising misinformation. Citing UNESCO reports, he paid tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty and urged the media to stand firm against the spread of fake news and hate speech.

With the proliferation of misinformation and hate speech, we need professional journalism now more than ever to help society distinguish truth from lies, especially in this digital age of AI,” Kayanja stressed.

Veteran journalist and Chair of Penpushing Media’s Editorial Board, Funke Fadugba, also weighed in, advising media practitioners to embrace AI tools but with caution. She highlighted the need to maintain the human touch in journalism, warning that over-reliance on technology could erode originality and the interactive spirit of democratic societies.

Penpushing Media founder, Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, closed the event with words of gratitude and a call to action. He reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to responsible journalism and the ongoing fight against fake news. He further urged media houses to adopt corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, pointing to Penpushing’s proactive community-focused efforts as a model to follow.

We promise we won’t derail in providing qualitative and responsible journalism. We will not relent in fighting fake news and its purveyors,” Kayode-Adedeji declared.

The vibrant webinar, moderated by Dr Oluseyi Soremekun, National Information Officer at UNIC Nigeria, drew wide participation from across the media landscape, reflecting growing concern and shared responsibility over how AI is reshaping journalism in Nigeria and beyond.

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