Despite widespread concern leading up to voting day, there wasn’t as much false information powered by artificial intelligence as Africa Check expected. Why was this?

South African citizens are anxious, excited, and uncertain about the outcome of the upcoming May 29 elections which mark thirty years of democracy. There is undisputable consensus among the citizens that this election will mark a critical turning point in South Africa's democratic and political history. However, the anxiety and uncertainty within the political and electoral landscape have become a breeding ground for propaganda and disinformation. Propaganda and disinformation are seen to be posing dangers to SA’s democratic process. Both polarise communities, mislead voters, and erode trust in public institutions, responsible for election administration. To confirm these dangers, a recent UNESCO study notes that: "In today's rapidly evolving digital environment, opportunities for communication between citizens, politicians, and political parties are unprecedented –– with information related to elections flowing faster and easier than ever, […]with billions of human beings connected, ‘propaganda’ and disinformation circulating unhinged around the networks, democratic processes and access to reliable information are at risk.”[1] This risk is what South Africa is experiencing in its 2024 elections. Considering this, there is a need to shield democracy in the republic by countering propaganda and disinformation. The article's purpose is to discuss recent trends of propaganda and disinformation in South Africa's 2024 elections. The paper will also suggest possible measures to mitigate their impact.

In April 2021, a coordinated campaign targeting two South African banks surfaced on Twitter. While superficially taking aim at systemic racism in South Africa’s banking sector, beneath the #RacistBanksMustFall hashtag’s altruistic veneer were the vested interests of Sekunjalo Independent Media, owners of South Africa’s third largest news organization.

The media has featured a steady stream of articles and think-pieces about artificial intelligence in 2023, as new AI-powered tools launched and became easier to use. But we’ve taken it back to basics to explain how to identify images and videos where not everything is as it appears to be.

Twitter account linked to a member of South Africa’s third largest political party baited racial tensions to monetize traffic to his website

Ensuring election integrity is crucial for a thriving democracy. Let's discuss ways to strengthen our local electoral system.

The advent of the internet, and social media platforms in particular, has fundamentally changed how we engage with the world, including how we communicate, socialise, learn, work, and participate. While this has presented significant opportunities for the right to freedom of expression, it has also raised several pressing challenges regarding the dissemination of information online, more especially during an election period.

With support from the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), Africa Check, the continent’s leading independent fact-checking organisation, will implement a four-year multi-pronged project to fight misinformation and strengthen democracy.

A new study argues for an expanded definition of media literacy.

As our experience in Kenya shows, Africa Check’s Fact Ambassador programme has boosted our multi-tentacular approach to fighting false information online and offline.

South Africans have the right to access government information, so it’s important that agency and department websites work well. Africa Check’s researchers review these sites – from the excellent (looking at you, Stats SA) to the poorly organised and the downright ugly.

As nearly a dozen countries in the region prepare to hold presidential elections, the spread of disinformation is inflaming the continent's political landscape. Will facts prevail and calm the situation?

Well-worn untruths about HIV/Aids took a backseat during the Covid-19 pandemic. But vigilance against Aids denialism is important, particularly in Africa where access to accurate information and inclusive healthcare is still patchy.

Despite the hype around artificial intelligence, the bigger threat in Africa remains “cheap fakes” and other low-effort forms of information deception.

The internet has become a powerful tool for social advocacy. Campaigners are increasingly relying on Digital Storytelling (DST) to get their message across and garner support for their cause. The power shift from powerful institutions into the hands of grassroots communities has given activists a larger platform to organise engagements and build momentum for movements. However, it is important to note that online media consumers exist in the era of what has been duped by the attention economy and information overload. Your campaign runs the risk of getting lost in the plethora of available digital content, if you do not portray a compelling story.

The internet has become a powerful tool for social advocacy. Campaigners are increasingly relying on Digital Storytelling (DST) to get their message across and garner support for their cause. The power shift from powerful institutions into the hands of grassroots communities has given activists a larger platform to organise engagements and build momentum for movements. However, it is important to note that online media consumers exist in the era of what has been duped by the attention economy and information overload. Your campaign runs the risk of getting lost in the plethora of available digital content, if you do not portray a compelling story.

The internet has become a powerful tool for social advocacy. Campaigners are increasingly relying on Digital Storytelling (DST) to get their message across and garner support for their cause. The power shift from powerful institutions into the hands of grassroots communities has given activists a larger platform to organise engagements and build momentum for movements. However, it is important to note that online media consumers exist in the era of what has been duped by the attention economy and information overload. Your campaign runs the risk of getting lost in the plethora of available digital content, if you do not portray a compelling story.

The panel discussion explored how disinformation can influence elections and democratic processes, evaluate propaganda and fake news, how communities can strengthen digital resilience in response to future trends, how to strike a balance between freedom of expression and disinformation, and various strategies that can be employed in South Africa to rebuild trust in media and institutions. It showcased various countries where disinformation campaigns aimed to manipulate voter perceptions and sway election outcomes. Participants gained valuable insights from subject matter experts Azola Dayile and Tshepiso Hadebe into effective countermeasures employed by activists, journalists, and electoral bodies. The COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed an infodemic and a proliferation of misinformation and disinformation. Participants learned how scientific experts, health organisations, and fact-checkers have debunked falsehoods, ensuring accurate information reaches the public.

The purpose of this community-building event was to provide and promote truth, and accuracy in information dissemination to form a collaborative network, equip the community with tools, and knowledge to combat disinformation, and share best practices to enable participants to learn from the subject matter experts to maintain informed citizenry.

When navigating through today’s heavily saturated media landscape it is crucial to have the discerning ability to differentiate between fact and fiction. Media literacy empowers people to be critical thinkers and creators, effective communicators, and active citizens. Media literacy starts with education and the sooner we equip ourselves and our children with the critical thinking skills needed to be discerning in their consumption of media instead of passive, the better. But where does one begin? Whether you’re an educator, a parent or simply wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of media literacy and what it entails there are several online resources available to help with the learning journey.

In a world often saturated with negative news and stories, the power of positive narratives shines like a beacon of hope. Positive narratives are stories that uplift, inspire, and promote optimism, focusing on the triumph of the human spirit, acts of kindness, and the potential to incite positive change.

The stringent clampdown of local and global privacy laws and its effects on various local and global sectors on free distribution of data in the digital age of information.

The globe is constantly spinning with information right at our fingertips. However, interpreting that information can be a lot more complicated than it seems.

Disinformation and online manipulation is a widespread issue, targeting a number of minority groups based on gender, sexual expression, race, age, and more. In light of the rise in politically driven attacks on the rights of LGBTQI+ persons, it's critical to counter disinformation in order for them to receive treatment for physical and mental health, sex reassignment procedures, and have safer spaces in schools and communities.

South Africa a nation that suffered through discrimination and segregation, even after years of freedom, has become a place where foreign nationals feel unsafe and discriminated against. The continuous rise of xenophobic attacks in the country have resulted in the loss of lives, homes and businesses.

How eye witnessing and capturing the spur of the moment prevents disinformation

Fake news is used to manipulate and dictate and shape their decision-making. Fake news can damage our public discourse. We need to raise awareness and understanding of disinformation and be mindful that our freedom of expression could harm others. The time is now to verify all information.

When you need to make an unbiased, rational decision about something important, try to be aware of your cognitive biases. They are a normal phenomenon in psychology of all humans, but as they may affect your judgement or decisions, it is worth acknowledging their existence and learning some methods of how to overcome their misleading effects.

It has become increasingly common to read news on the internet where young people participate in viral challenges that have harmful consequences for their health or even for the rest of their lives and those of their families.

In the international media market, the children's news programme is a television format with a decades-long history in many countries. This is a complex, mindset-shaping programme aimed at 8-12 year olds. In Europe, the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) “Newsround” and the German Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) “Logo!” are the leading examples.

Strengthen your abilities to access and critically analyze information in digital media with the free and self-paced online course: "Think twice: media literacy Online"

Value, nowadays, comes in lots of different forms. We have traditional ones, such as time, power, security, health, and money. However, there is another, new form of value which is not yet fully understood: digital information. In this article, our aim is to raise awareness about how Facebook affects us and our loved ones on a daily basis, and how not knowing our rights and the help we can receive open us up to potential harm in the cyberspace.

Social media platforms allow users to interact in a faster and easier manner. On one hand, this phenomenon helps establishing relationships and bonds beyond physical boundaries, leading to the exchange of information and content of all kinds. It is also not a secret that these platforms offer users tools for commercializing goods, products and services.