Fake news threatens national security, NIPR warns

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Enugu State Chapter, has warned that the growing spread of fake news poses a serious threat to national security, public trust and social stability, urging citizens and communication professionals to promote responsible information sharing.

The warning was issued during the Chapter’s July Public Relations Clinic in Enugu, where Daniel Ndukwe, the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, delivered a lecture with the theme, “Policing and Fake News in Times of Insecurity.”

Speaking to Public Relations Practitioners, media professionals, Government communicators and members of the public, Ndukwe described fake news as unverified information presented or circulated as fact, noting that its increasing prevalence had made it one of the most pressing communication challenges facing society.

He identified three major forms of fake news: misinformation, which involves the unintentional spread of false information; disinformation, the deliberate creation and dissemination of falsehood to deceive; and malicious use of genuine information taken out of context to cause harm.

According to the Police spokesperson, while digital technology has accelerated the spread of false information, human psychology remains one of its strongest drivers. He said cognitive biases often influence how people receive, believe and share information without verification.

Among the biases he highlighted were confirmation bias, which leads individuals to accept information that aligns with their beliefs while rejecting contradictory evidence; selective exposure, where people consume only information that reinforces their opinions; and belief perseverance, the tendency to cling to false information even after it has been disproved.

Ndukwe also drew attention to the repetition or “illusory truth” effect, explaining that repeated exposure to false information often makes it appear credible.

“You can break such news and break society,” he warned, stressing the damaging consequences of irresponsible information sharing.

He further listed in-group bias, perceived authority bias, the availability heuristic, emotional reasoning, negativity bias and clout-chasing bias as additional psychological factors that contribute to the rapid spread of misinformation.

The Police spokesperson observed that advances in digital technology and content manipulation tools have made it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish authentic information from fabricated content.

He therefore urged citizens to verify information before sharing it, rely on credible sources and resist allowing emotions or personal biases to influence their judgment.

He also called for stronger collaboration among law enforcement agencies, public relations practitioners, journalists, government institutions and the public in promoting factual, timely and responsible communication.

The lecture featured an interactive question-and-answer session during which participants discussed practical strategies for combating misinformation and strengthening cooperation among key stakeholders.