2023 Elections : The Urgent Need To Address Fake News

Abuja Worried by the impact of fake news and the implications before, during and after the 2023 general elections, Rise Networks, a data science and artificial intelligence company, has launched the “Run-Am” mobile app to verify fake news and combat the spread of misinformation during the electioneering period.

Founder, Rise Networks, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji said the platform, which can be accessed on Google Play Store, is a tool that will ensure efficiency and accountability of information during the 2023 elections and beyond.She said that the project had the support of the MacArthur Foundation and the Centre for Information, Technology and Development (CITAD).

According to her, the app has the news verification feature, image verification feature and voter-education feature to check misinformation that may cause violence during elections.She said: “During elections, fake news is used to create a lot of voter apathy, so you see a lot of news like 50 people have been killed in a particular local government.“And because of that, people who have their PVCs will not want to come out to vote because they are afraid.“

But when you find out, you will see that that information is not true but when voters do not turn up, that is when it will be easy for them to rig the elections.“And those are the kind of problems the Run-Am App intend to solve.”Also speaking on the importance of the app, the director, voter education and publicity, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Victor Aluko appreciated the company for its efforts at combating fake news that may undermine the electoral processes in the country.

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He said, “We are going into a serious elections which will be contested by powerful individuals and political parties and you will see a situation where the electoral process will be pulled in various directions.“When we have that, you will see a lot of combination of fake news, misinformation and disinformation and we are looking at how we can manage our results to make sure that people don’t misinform Nigerians.“So, when we have this type of App, from reputable organisations like this, we tend to identify with them and express our happiness that this is coming from a Nigerian organisation.”

Meanwhile, the deputy country director, MacArthur Foundation Africa office, Dayo Olaide stated that democracy had continued to be faced with global threats across the globe with the growing influence of fake news and there is need for accountability even as Nigeria enters elections period.He added that to save the country’s democracy, Nigerians must begin to pay more attention to electoral accountability and call out those who make inflammatory statements and spread fake news.

“That responsibility is not only that of INEC, it is a shared responsibility, the government, citizens and also the media must hold all actors accountable for their actions,” he said.