Knowledge in media and information literacy can help people to combat inaccurate information encountered in daily life.

This is according to a NRF-funded study, conducted by Dr Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey from Rhodes University and Dr Keith M Johnston from the University of East Anglia, which found that fact-checking is a crucial skill that information and media consumers require to be able to identify and fight misinformation, disinformation and even malinformation.

Media and information literacy generates awareness of the implications of being channels of misinformation and enables information consumers to make informed judgements about quality information and exercising caution about deciphering the authenticity of information before sharing.

Mandatory skills required to combat disinformation and misinformation include: