UniMAC PR Students Educate Mataheko SDA Church Members on Responsible Information Sharing

Public Relations students of the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC) have taken an information empowerment campaign to the Mataheko Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, educating members on how to identify misleading information and share content responsibly.

The campaign, held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, formed part of a practical group assignment by the PR students and was organised under the theme, “Click Wisely, Share Responsibly.”

The initiative sought to equip members of the church with practical knowledge and digital skills to help them make informed decisions when consuming and sharing information, particularly on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok.

The campaign was delivered in Twi, one of Ghana’s widely spoken local languages, to ensure that the message was clearly understood by the congregation.

Addressing the members, the campaign team urged them to develop the habit of verifying information before believing or forwarding it.

“Think carefully before you believe or share information you receive online,” the team cautioned, emphasising that not every message, picture or video circulated on social media should be accepted as true.

The students educated the congregation on misinformation, disinformation and malinformation, explaining how such forms of information disorder can affect individuals, the church and society.

They also highlighted the growing threat of online scams and mobile money fraud, advising members to be cautious of suspicious messages, fake promotions, impersonation and requests for money.

“Never share your PIN, password or verification code with anyone,” the campaign team advised, urging members to take steps to protect their personal and financial information online.

Other issues discussed included cybersecurity, digital privacy, responsible social media use, health misinformation, fake religious content and AI-generated material such as manipulated images, videos and voices.

The students encouraged members to verify important church announcements through trusted sources and to be particularly careful with information designed to provoke fear, anger or excitement.

The session also included a role play demonstrating how misleading information can spread, followed by an interactive question-and-answer session that allowed members to engage with the campaign team.

Speaking to the media after the session, some church members expressed their appreciation for the campaign and said the lessons had increased their awareness of the need to be more careful with information they consume and share online.

A member of the campaign team, Eugenia Asante, also used the opportunity to caution teachers and other adults who create educational or entertainment content involving children on social media.

She noted that while some teachers use platforms such as TikTok for educational purposes, there are instances where children are encouraged to participate in online challenges or activities primarily to generate engagement.

According to her, teachers and other adults responsible for children must be mindful of the type of content they encourage children to create or participate in, particularly when such content could negatively affect the children’s reputation or wellbeing in the future.

She stressed that children may not fully understand the long-term consequences of their actions online and therefore require responsible guidance from the adults entrusted with their care.

The campaign team consequently urged teachers to prioritise the safety, dignity and long-term interests of their students when using them in online content, rather than exposing them to activities solely for views, likes or engagement.

At the end of the programme, participants were encouraged to embrace the campaign’s central message, “Click Wisely, Share Responsibly,” and make verification a habit before sharing information with others.