Nigerians have been urged to take a stand against fake news and misinformation while demanding greater accountability from Big Tech companies.
African public strategy and advocacy group, Gatefield emphasized the urgency of addressing the growing threat posed by misinformation to Nigeria’s socioeconomic and political stability.
The group described misinformation as a “deadly epidemic” undermining trust, cohesion, and development in Africa’s most populous nation.
Gatefield called for collective action to combat the menace, stressing the need for responsible digital practices and stronger regulation of tech platforms that facilitate the spread of false information.
Gatefield noted that in 2018, a fake photo posted on Facebook was viewed 11,000 times, sparking an ethnic conflict in Plateau State, Nigeria, leading to the tragic deaths of twelve people. Unfortunately, this incident is not isolated.
It said misinformation campaigns across Africa have increased nearly 400% since 2022, affecting social and political stability, with Nigeria disproportionately affected.
During Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential elections, it said, fact-checkers reported as many as 100,000 false claims shared across social media daily.
According to the group, with about nine in 10 young Nigerians getting their news online, a combination of low media literacy and weak content moderation practices is fueling the proliferation of fake news and escalating confusion, division, and violence.
Given this negative development, Gatefield, with support from global philanthropic organization Luminate, in Abuja on Thursday, launched the #FWDWithFacts campaign, Nigeria’s largest-scale initiative to tackle fake news.
The massive campaign involves Nigerian celebrities that include Toolz, Linda Ejiofor Suleiman, Elozonam, Folu Storms, Ibrahim Suleiman, Kiki Omeili, and Jayon Air teaming up with Gatefield to combat the rising threat.
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According to Shirley Ewang, Advocacy Lead at Gatefield, the initiative aims to reach millions of Nigerians through mass media and grassroots efforts, educating them about the dangers of fake news while calling for greater accountability from Big Tech companies.
The #FWDWithFacts campaign, she explained, was designed to empower Nigerians to identify and counter misinformation while demanding stronger content moderation by big Tech platforms in Nigeria through a petition directed at these companies and government regulators.
Stressing the importance of tackling fake news and misinformation, renowned radio personality and Nollywood actor Kiki Omeili, said, “I have personally seen families, careers, relationships, and reputations being destroyed because of people spreading fake news on the internet with no repercussions.
“It is important that people think twice and verify before they contribute to destroying what one has taken so long to build.”
Ewang noted that major social media platforms with global followings have faced criticism for reducing content moderation efforts in Africa while relying on algorithms that often amplify sensational or harmful content.
This, she noted, makes it easier for fake news to spread, especially during critical times like elections.
She pointed out that big Tech’s approach to content moderation has drawn sharp criticisms for stark inequalities between Africa and the West, saying, “Regulatory requirements such as Europe’s Digital Services Act, which prioritizes transparency and proactive moderation, should not be an exclusive privilege of the West.
“Big Tech needs to treat Africa with the same urgency as other regions.”
The #FWDWithFacts campaign is advocating for a unified effort to push for better content moderation in Nigeria, particularly to protect vulnerable groups online and control misinformation, one of the biggest threats to African democracy, she added.