Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum kicks off in Nairobi.

The topic around Misinformation and its impact in society has taken center stage on day one of the 2023 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF), which kicked of in Nairobi earlier today.

Hosted by Paradigm Initiative, The Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) is an important platform where conversations on digital policy in Africa are shaped, policy directions debated and partnerships forged for action.

Misinformation in African Politics on the Rise

Misinformation especially around elections was a key topic , with speakers from Kenya and Nigeria sharing experiences around the respective countries’ recent elections.

Digital media was faulted for enabling fake news as users find it easy to spread misinformation through various platforms.

“This trend was on the increase as Nigerians prepared to go to the polls in 2023 and had a big impact on the information that the electorate was consuming,” said Blessing Oladunyoje, Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria.

According to Oladunyoje, one of the ways journalists can help curb misinformation is by the use of open-source tools and collaborating with fact-checkers.

Social Media companies were also urged to intensify efforts on content moderation and come up with stringent measures to deal with common perpetrators such as demonetizing and deplatformazation.

The theme of the 2023 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum is;  Building A Sustainable Internet for All