There is no doubt the foray of social media into the mode of communication few years back has in no small measure transformed communication landscapes worldwide. From political to business, family, cultural sectors, and many more, social media usage has broken barriers of communication, especially interpretation and unchecked access between senders and receivers of messages.
While the public is still in the euphoria of celebrating this big leap regarded as a breakthrough in providing unlimited access to information and freedom of expression, there comes the fear over its negative implications on the polity. This has led to pressure and an unending call to regulate the social media.
The Centre for Applied Ethics and Political Communication in Africa (CAEPOCOM AFRICA) and NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, Latvia (NATO STRATCOM COE) recently organised a workshop in Ibadan.
The workshop themed ‘Trends and Developments of Disinformation and Social Media Manipulation in West Africa’ brought together experts in communication, media, social media, disinformation, government, and regulation to discuss select West African countries, including Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Togo, and the West African region as a whole Central African country Cameroun was not left out.
The purpose of the workshop was to critically examine the effects and X-ray the collective understanding of specific challenges social media poses in West Africa and how these challenges relate to global trends on dissemination, disinformation and social media manipulation in the region. The workshop featured presentations and discussions on national and regional developments as well as thematic discussions on historical backgrounds, gender, democracy, regulation, media, diaspora, youth, grass roots, and public diplomacy.
In line with the vision and mission of CAEPOCOM Africa, Dr. Sharon Adetutu Omotoso, in her opening address at the two day workshop said the social media revolves around personalities, politics and policies. She noted that although the social media was not intended to disorganise the world, immoral tendencies inherent in human elements have shaped the trends of disinformation and social media manipulation.
According to her, “how social media is deployed for both positive and negative ends across West Africa is not different from what obtains globally; contexts differ. Recognising that information competencies play an essential role in daily life, including in public health and political participation, CAEPOCOM AFRICA within its focus areas continues to partner with local and international agencies for promoting public awareness and understanding of African communities on the continent and in diaspora.”
In his address, Mr. Sebastian Bay, senior expert, NATO STRATCOM COE, Latvia, noted the effects of social media on the global scene. He affirmed that “states and businesses have used the social media to manipulate public opinions for different reasons, particularly for political gains as seen in autocratic countries. The commercial actors are involved in manipulating online conversations, and that is becoming a problem in countries. Media is ridiculously exposed when journalists write an article that affects certain individuals or organizations, as social media now makes it possible to buy negative comments and dislikes so as to intimidate journalists. Of course this is serious.”
On regulating social media on the global scene, Bay further disclosed that some countries are coming up with regulations to checkmate the challenges. But he warned that such must be done without impeding the rights of the citizens.
The general conclusions from the two-day workshop informed that “the global challenges of disinformation and social media manipulation are also being felt in West Africa. There is evidence of state actors’ interference in the region. National and religious actors are using disinformation and social media manipulation to influence politics, to promote various agenda and to sow discord.”
Though, the workshop could not find a local disinformation industry with global reach, it was agreed that “several actors are reselling international services and repackaging tools and techniques for local customers. Buying likes or malicious influence activities is as easy in Lagos or Accra as it is in Manila, Moscow, or Riga. This problem is sometimes compounded by influencers using disinformation for personal gain.”
In Nigeria, regulation of social media has become a complicated national discourse. From the bar to the four walls of classrooms in national institutions, court of public opinions and to the corridors of powers, the debate rages on.
Finally, the workshop called on several actors for increased actions by social media platforms to prevent their platforms from being misused by malicious actors. The workshop also identified the need for strengthened investment in media literacy programmes, fact-checking, and training of journalists across the region.