Academia and the fight against misinformation from an intercultural perspective. The OIME

Abstract

This study addresses the global phenomenon of disinformation, which has captured the attention of various entities such as governments, international organizations, the media, civil organizations, and academia. Strategies to combat misinformation are highlighted, such as content curation and fact verification, these actions being carried out mainly from the educational field and the academy. Likewise, the importance of digital literacy is emphasized so that users can discern false information from the truth. As a result of the appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic, the case study of the Interuniversity Observatory of Ecuadorian Media (OIME) exemplifies the role of the Ecuadorian academy in responding to contaminated information from an intercultural perspective, through a model of social cooperation in contexts of crisis. Specifically, in a period from August 2020 to June 2022, the Observatory has produced 15 scientific dissemination notes, 4 graphic elements (interactive infographics and posters) and four informative notes. Continuing with this line, it is pertinent to understand disinformation as false, inaccurate or misleading content designed to cause public harm or private benefits, which has become a series of varied manifestations. However, there is evidence of a challenge in intercultural professional training in Ecuador, given the low percentage of teachers from minority populations in educational institutions. However, the growing interest in research on intercultural content production, political participation, citizen empowerment, among other aspects, stands out. In short, the lack of digital skills and multiliteracy is identified as one of the reasons that facilitates the spread of misinformation among people. Specifically from an educational and communication perspective, interculturality is considered a dialogue under construction between cultures to strengthen identities, recover historical memory and eliminate hierarchies in learning environments with the incorporation of active digital literacy.