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KnowBe4, a security awareness and compliance training platform, conducted a survey across Africa, which demonstrates a worrying reliance on social media for information, particularly in light of the spread of misinformation.
There is heavy dependence on social platforms for information, which is concerning, particularly as disinformation continues to rise.
The Africa Centre for Strategic Studies reports that disinformation campaigns in Africa have quadrupled since 2022, often backed by foreign states like Russia and China, leading to social instability.
In response to these issues, the platform conducted a survey in July 2024 on political disinformation and misinformation across five African countries – Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria and South Africa.
The survey, which included 500 respondents, found that the vast majority of users (84%) prefer social media for news consumption over traditional channels like radio, TV and news websites.
Anna Collard, SVP content strategy and evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa, notes that “80% of respondents are consuming news on Facebook, and over 50% use TikTok. This is alarming, as neither of these channels is very reliable in terms of news”.
Another concerning finding is that 82% of respondents feel confident in their ability to distinguish between true and false information online, despite a generally low level of formal education on the topic.
“While most respondents reported being able to tell the difference between real and fake news, I doubt this is the case. Other research has shown that most people overestimate their ability to detect deep fakes, and ironically, more people trust AI-generated images than actual photographs,” says Collard.
The survey also revealed that disinformation is becoming a significant concern, for 80% of respondents expressed high levels of worry about the negative impact of fake news and its potential to cause social division.
In Kenya, she revealed, many respondents said they had seen first-hand how disinformation could lead to tribal conflict.
Collard explained that social media influencers using inorganic hashtags fuelled similar political discord during Nigeria’s election last year.
“Social media’s rapid spread of false information and the increasing accessibility of AI tools allow for the quick and cheap creation of sophisticated disinformation campaigns.
“As we saw when entities disputed the outcome of South Africa’s 2024 election, there are individuals motivated to disrupt democracies and act maliciously to create chaos because it serves their own agenda.”
The survey also reveals a significant lack of education on misinformation and disinformation among respondents, with 58% lacking training and 32% ignoring fake news, emphasising the need for proactive responses.
“We need a multi-faceted strategy to combat disinformation,” says Collard. “This approach should encompass enhanced awareness and critical thinking among users, co-ordinated government action to prevent the spread of fake news (including stronger legislation), and increased vigilance from social media platforms in detecting and removing disinformation campaigns.
“Fake news is an ongoing challenge that requires continuous attention. To fight it effectively, we need a combination of new technology, better ways to prevent it and, most importantly, teaching people to consume media while thinking critically, particularly if it is emotionally laden or potentially polarising content.
“As the digital landscape develops, so too must our strategies for maintaining the integrity of information,” says Collard.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za