Earlier this month, the CMT hosted TechCamp Australia, a series of participant-led workshops on mis- and disinformation in the Pacific region. We welcomed journalists from Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Vanuatu, New Zealand and Australia.
Over two days, the candidates and expert trainers addressed local challenges and brainstormed low-barrier solutions that could be easily implemented in newsrooms. They raised some common issues in the fight against mis- and disinformation, including the growing popularity of social media and fake accounts, deadline pressures in newsrooms, and state control of the media and/or corporate influence.
The candidates came with varying levels of experience in online verification, so the workshops offered them the chance to collaborate, share perspectives and learnings, and develop ongoing professional relationships. It was also a valuable opportunity for the CMT to learn more about the challenges faced across the region, what support was needed for journalists to meet those, and what practices were already in place to combat them.
Ultimately, it was understood that the fight against mis- and disinformation was best undertaken together, and that cross-cultural support was key to developing more imaginative tactics against it.
We conducted a few interviews with candidates and trainers during the event that we’re excited to share with you here.
Alexia Giacomazzi, CMT Events and Communications Officer