Fake news in Africa: In an age of disinformation, who decides what's true?

From Ghana to Mozambique, the fight against fake news keeps gaining momentum. But combating disinformation also requires safeguards for free speech, leaving some governments in an inconvenient position.

Misinformation poses a threat to democracy worldwide: An exaggerated WhatsApp message, a manipulated TikTok video or an apparent breaking news alert on Facebook can all misguide people in Africa and beyond — particularly in the run-up to elections. As artificial intelligence is making it increasingly easy to manipulate images, voices and videos, more and more countries are trying to equip their populations with skills to identify and counter fake news .

But are these efforts really about raising awareness, or are certain governments using this fight to control public opinion, silence dissident voices and misguide the populace — from both within and outside of these respective nations? Journalism lecturer Dani Madrid-Morales at the University of Sheffield believes that African governments must significantly step up their efforts to combat sources of disinformation and misinformation.