Towards reducing susceptibility to fake news amidst a global pandemic (Covid-19): librarians’ role in propagating media literacy in Nigeria

Abstract

The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic also called Covid-19, rattled the global population and ever since has infected millions of people the world over and had also claimed the lives of an equally significant number of individuals with the numbers still rising. This situation has created panic among individuals who seek to protect themselves from being infected with this contagion that has no cure at the moment. As the World Health Organization (WHO) and other properly constituted health institutions provide information on how to keep safe from Covid-19, some individuals have exploited this situation by peddling fake news. Thus, librarians as information professionals through media literacy can reduce the susceptibility of members of the public to fake news about Covid-19. It is based on this background that this article examines how librarians in Nigeria can reduce the vulnerability of members of the public to fake information about the pandemic. In order to achieve this, Covid-19 as a global pandemic and the concept of fake news and its prevalence amidst the pandemic were discussed. Also, media literacy and its significance during Covid-19 and librarians’ role in promoting media literacy and reducing susceptibility to fake news during Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria were also examined. It was concluded that media literacy has the potential of building the capacity of individuals to avoid fake news associated with Covid-19. As a result, those at the helm of affairs in libraries were advised to support librarians with necessary tools and resources to provide media literacy.