Скачать или смотреть Inside SA Media | Can People Tell Fact from Fiction? | Episode 15 | Tribe Ox Media | Fact Fort

Everyone with a phone is a publisher now. A WhatsApp forward, a viral TikTok, a trending tweet — any of these can shape how we think, vote, or act. But in today’s saturated information ecosystem, can people still tell fact from fiction?

In this World News Day Special episode of Inside SA Media, we explore the importance of media literacy — the skills to access, evaluate, verify, and act on information. We’ll unpack:

What media literacy really means and why it matters for democracy.
How misinformation spreads in South Africa — from education rumours to loadshedding panic.
Why some groups are more vulnerable than others.
The practical tools citizens can use: fact-checking, Real411, verification steps.
What newsrooms, platforms, and governments must do to build trust.

From viral rumours that kept children home from school, to false claims about Eskom sabotage that fuelled panic buying, this episode brings real South African examples — alongside global lessons — to show why media literacy is now a civic survival skill.

Report digital harms to Real411: https://www.real411.org

Sources & References:

Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 — Global & SA trust data
Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 — South Africa trust trends
Pew Research Center — Social media & news usage fact sheets
Africa Check — Fact-checking work and Election Hubs
Real411 — South African disinformation reporting tool
GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report — Digital inclusion & disparities
UNESCO / The Guardian — Media literacy and platform accountability
Wits Centre for Journalism – State of the Newsroom (SA context)
Competition Commission of South Africa — Digital platforms impact

Join the conversation using #InsideSAMedia #MediaLiteracy #FactFromFiction