IN a pivotal year for elections across Africa, the proliferation of digital disinformation emerges as a grave threat to democratic integrity on the continent, caution researchers today. Highlighting a surge in sophisticated disinformation campaigns, politicians are resorting to malicious tactics across platforms like Facebook and others, aiming to disrupt discourse and stifle dissent.
During Uganda’s 2021 elections, orchestrated campaigns flooded social media with doctored images and fabricated videos to sow chaos in democratic discourse. Similarly, Angola’s 2022 election saw the deliberate propagation of malicious hashtags to tarnish opposition figures, shedding light on the alarming rise of digital disinformation in African politics.
Unveiled in the pioneering book Digital Disinformation in Africa: Hashtag Politics, Power and Propaganda, researchers from the African Digital Rights Network underscore the transformative impact of digital disinformation on the political landscape. While acknowledging the longstanding presence of disinformation in African politics, the convergence of widespread internet access and social media platforms has magnified its reach and influence.
Dr. Tony Roberts, Research Fellow at the UK think thank, Institute of Development Studies and co-editor of the book, asserts, ‘In the realm of social media, citizens can no longer blindly trust what they see, jeopardising the integrity of elections.’ The authors warn of a troubling escalation in the sophistication of disinformation campaigns, fuelled by big data and microtargeting capabilities akin to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, potentially undermining the credibility of 17 upcoming African elections.
Edmilson Ângelo, Postgraduate Researcher at the Institute of Development Studies, sheds light on Angola’s digital landscape, revealing how young citizens engage with online spaces while politicians exploit social media to manipulate the youth demographic. This trend, pervasive across Africa, underscores the urgent need to safeguard democratic processes from digital manipulation.
Beyond electoral contexts, digital disinformation permeates policy debates, distorting public discourse on critical issues like vaccinations and immigration. To mitigate its pernicious effects, researchers advocate for collaborative efforts among civil society, media, and social media platforms. Recommendations include bolstering fact-checking initiatives, enhancing digital literacy, and holding social media platforms accountable for misinformation.
Drawing insights from ten African countries, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Nigeria, the book illuminates the multifaceted challenges posed by digital disinformation. Case studies from Uganda reveal human rights violations and digital authoritarianism, while Angola’s experience underscores the deliberate smear campaigns orchestrated by ruling parties.
In South Africa, internal disinformation campaigns overshadowed concerns of foreign interference, exemplified by the Gupta family’s extensive use of fake Twitter accounts to propagate falsehoods during the 2019 elections. Such revelations underscore the urgent imperative to fortify democratic institutions against the onslaught of digital disinformation, safeguarding the sanctity of African democracies in the digital age.