VOTER EXPLAINER: 2019 election guide: How to detect misinformation, bots, trolls and sockpuppets By Tessa Knight
We already know that social media can sway elections. Take the 2016 US elections as an example: Researchers are only just starting to fully understand the influence Russian bot farms and misinformation campaigns had on Trump being elected. And closer to home, the impact of the Bell Pottinger scandal is still being felt by politicians and everyday citizens alike, with the racial divisiveness promoted by the Gupta-supported company likely to rear its head as we near 8 May.In 2018 Dictionary.
Disinformation, on the other hand, is the spread of misleading or false information with the intent to cause harm, spread propaganda and manipulate public perception. So the person who creates the WhatsApp message saying the ANC is changing its name to the CNA is purposefully spreading fake information, with the intent to damage the ANC’s reputation. This is disinformation.
that allows members of the public to report misinformation, primarily in the form of social media posts. Fighting disinformation on social media is difficult, particularly considering that trends online often trickle down into traditional media. But if everyday Twitter users report mis- and disinformation to organisations such as Media Monitoring Africa, we can slowly start to combat “fake news”.
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