A Professor of Mass Communication at Bayero University (BUK), Kano, Nura Ibrahim, has urged online journalists to ensure responsible online engagement and respect privacy in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Prof. Nura stated this while presenting a paper at the two-day retreat organized for the Kano Online Media Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, held in Dutse, Jigawa State.
The retreat, sponsored by the Kano State Government through the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, engaged online journalists on a wide range of topics to improve their capacity under the theme “Strengthening Digital Journalism Through Ethical Practice and Responsible Online Engagement.”
Prof. Nura Ibrahim, of the Department of Information and Media Studies, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, said online journalists should ensure balance in their reportage and avoid inflammatory language.
He also charged them to promote inclusivity, ensure cultural and religious sensitivity, avoid incitement, verify facts before publication, correct errors, and update content appropriately.
The university professor further urged them to combat misinformation, explain facts as they are, provide credible sources, avoid spreading rumors, and adopt language optimization tools alongside responsible SEO practices.
