Truth under pressure: Fact-checking is no longer optional, but essential to sanitize the polluted information ecosystem

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson 

As Journalists, media innovators and civil society actors across the globe on Thursday, marked World Fact-Checking Day 2026, renewing calls for stronger defenses against misinformation in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, social media and rapid information flows.

 

The day observed annually on April 2, and promoted by global fact-checking networks, the day highlights the critical role of verification in safeguarding democracy, public trust and informed decision-making. 

 

This year’s observance comes amid growing concern over the scale and sophistication of false information worldwide, with experts emphasizing collaboration, digital literacy and technological innovation as key tools in the fight for truth.

 

Globally, fact-checking has evolved from a niche journalistic practice into a central pillar of modern media ecosystems and the rise of digital platforms and AI-generated content has intensified both the spread of misinformation and the urgency of countering it.

 

In West Africa, regional initiatives such as DUBAWA, DIDAC, FactSpace West Africa have expanded cross-border collaboration, helping journalists track disinformation trends, train media professionals and promote information integrity across multiple countries including Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia reflecting a broader transformation, from reactive debunking to proactive detection and public education.

 

In my country, Sierra Leone, fact-checking has gained significant traction in recent years, driven largely by the convergence of media innovation, international support and local expertise.

 

A major milestone was the launch of the iVerify platform in 2023, spearheaded by the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) in partnership with the United Nations and media development organizations. 

The SLAJ iVerify platform was designed to identify and counter misinformation, disinformation and hate speech, particularly during election cycles. 

 

Since its inception, iVerify has combined human verification with digital tools, enabling rapid fact-checking of viral claims while also expanding public access through radio, social media and community outreach. 

 

By the end of the 2023 electoral period, the platform had fact-checked over 170 stories, playing a recognized role in promoting credible information and reducing the spread of false narratives letting Government officials to  also underscored the importance of transparency and media literacy, describing misinformation as a threat capable of eroding public trust and destabilizing societies. 

 

At the heart of this progress are a new generation of Sierra Leonean journalists who have embraced fact-checking as both a professional duty and a public service.

 

And I'm pleased to not only be among this generation sanitizing the polluted information ecosystem but becoming a leading Sierra Leonean fact-checker, multimedia journalist, and a founding Fact Checker of the  SLAJ iVerify platform, where my work has contributed to strengthening verification standards in the country. 

Fast-forward as a 2025 Kwame Karikari OSINT Fact-Checking Fellow organized by DUBAWA, DIDAC and its partners, and four other colleagues represents a growing cadre of African media professionals leveraging open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques to investigate and debunk false claims.

 

Through multimedia storytelling, data verification and digital investigations, us as practitioners are helping to redefine journalism in Sierra Leone, shifting it toward evidence-based reporting and audience engagement.

 

Our contributions extend beyond newsrooms, including training young journalists, conducting media literacy campaigns and collaborating with regional networks to counter disinformation.

 

In all of these, the challenges and the road ahead are notable to highlight on this day, despite the notable gains, challenges such as limited internet access, the rapid spread of viral content on messaging platforms, and low levels of media literacy in some communities continue to complicate verification efforts, persists.

 

However to address these banes, my country Sierra Leone’s fact-checking ecosystem has increasingly turned to hybrid approaches, combining technology with traditional media such as radio to reach wider audiences.

 

Thus, let me also stress the importance of sustained investment, cross-border collaboration and public participation in combating misinformation, which I deem as a shared responsibility.

 

Nonetheless, as this year's World Fact-Checking Day is marked, the message I'm sending from home to countrymen and others across West Africa is that, "the fight against misinformation is not the responsibility of journalists alone but from governments and tech platforms to citizens and educators, ensuring information integrity requires collective action.

 

Because, in a world where falsehood can spread faster than truth, fact-checking is no longer optional, but it is essential towards sanitizing the polluted information ecosystem.