insert_link World US accuses Russia of interfering with its presidential election US attorney general, Merrick Garland, says Russian President Vladamir Putin's inner circle directed companies to promote disinformation as part of a programme to influence the presidential election. The Justice Department has filed charges against two Moscow-based managers of state broadcaster RT, for allegedly paying content creators in America to pump pro-Russia propaganda and disinformation to US audiences. todaySeptember 5, 2024 17
insert_link World Chinese and Russian disinformation flourishes in some African countries – anti-US sentiment helps it take hold By Dani Madrid-Morales, University of Sheffield; Herman Wasserman, Stellenbosch University, and Saifuddin Ahmed, Nanyang Technological University The spread of disinformation is one of the biggest risks to societies. Recent examples have been conspiracy narratives about COVID-19 vaccinations and false claims about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The trend is linked partly to competition among world powers, which is being played out in Africa too. Across the continent, multiple foreign […] todaySeptember 5, 2024 17
insert_link Opinion Pieces Social media: Disinformation expert offers 3 safety tips in a time of fake news and dodgy influencers Boniface Muthoni/SOPA Images/LightRocke By Fabrice Lollia, Université Gustave Eiffel Social networks have revolutionised the way we communicate, stay informed and share moments of our daily lives. We use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok to keep in touch with our friends and family, share our experiences, keep informed, and express our opinions. But beyond these personal and often superficial uses, social networks play a much more complex […] todayAugust 9, 2024 16
insert_link Uncategorized Political analyst warns of tense political climate in Namibia With Namibia preparing for elections on 27 November 2024, we contacted political analyst Prof. Dr. Henning Melber, a Senior Research Associate at the Nordic Africa Institute in Sweden, for his opinion on the country's current political climate. Prof. Melber describes the political atmosphere as highly competitive and tense, noting an increase in inappropriate tactics and the spread of fake news. He highlights that the electorate faces appeals to prejudices and […] todayAugust 6, 2024 52
insert_link World France to try suspects over false Brigitte Macron transgender claim Two women are to be tried this week over false claims that France's first lady Brigitte Macron was transgender, which sparked online rumour-mongering by conspiracy theorists and the far-right. In 2022, Brigitte Macron filed a complaint for libel against two women who posted a YouTube video in December 2021 alleging she had once been a man named "Jean-Michel". The claim went viral just weeks before the 2022 […] todayJune 18, 2024 183
insert_link Africa AI can make African elections more efficient – but trust must be built and proper rules put in place Election officials confirm a voter’s biometric details during Kenya’s 2022 elections. James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket By Shamira Ahmed, European University Institute and Mehari Taddele Maru, European University Institute Time magazine has dubbed 2024 a “super election year”. An astonishing 4 billion people are eligible to vote in countries across the world this year. Many are on the African continent, where presidential, parliamentary and general elections have already […] todayJune 18, 2024 19
insert_link Science & Technology Hate speech and disinformation in South Africa’s elections: big tech make it tough to monitor social media By Guy Berger, Rhodes University There’s a growing global movement to ensure that researchers can get access to the huge quantity of data assembled and exploited by digital operators. Momentum is mounting because it’s becoming increasingly evident that data is power. And access to it is the key – for a host of reasons, not least transparency, human rights and electoral integrity. But there’s currently […] todayMay 28, 2024 18
insert_link Namibia ECN addresses mis- and disinformation concerns for 2024 election The Electoral Commission of Namibia has acknowledged the Namibia Fact Check report's concerns about potential mis- and disinformation in the 2024 election. The ECN has thus called on citizens to critically evaluate information, verify sources, and engage responsibly. Here is the ECN spokesperson, De Wet Siluka. todayMay 20, 2024 45
insert_link World How conspiracy theories help to maintain Vladimir Putin’s grip on power in Russia By Gemma Ware, The Conversation As Russians head to the polls on March 15 for the presidential election, conspiracy theories are swirling everywhere. In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to a disinformation expert about the central role these theories play in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. As soon as the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in a Siberian penal colony was announced in February, […] todayMarch 15, 2024 32