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Waagacusub.net – The Somali Journalists Union has launched a campaign to combat the spread of disinformation, fake news, hate speech and propaganda. The union says there has been a significant increase in disinformation activity on social media in Somalia ahead of elections expected in late July.
Somalia’s long-standing conflict and political turmoil have made the country a hotbed for the spread of false information. Young Somalis, who are increasingly connecting and sharing news on social media platforms, have become the main targets of this wave of false news.
One example was a headline that said Somalia’s parliament wanted to remove the prime minister because he opposed extending President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s term, which was later confirmed to be fake.
In response to the growing challenges facing media workers in the country, the Somali Journalists Union has launched the so-called “Disinformation Lab” to combat the spread of lies, myths and distortions ahead of the upcoming elections.
Mohamed Abdimalik, the lab’s lead researcher and director, said they will equip journalists with the skills and knowledge needed to spot fake news during voting.
“Lab researchers will provide journalists with digital tools, training, and other resources to help them detect, analyze, and report election-related fake news in real time,” Abdimalik said. “In a fragile environment where trust is so low, protecting the electoral process from fake news is as important as preventing the country from sliding back into civil war.”
Journalists, leading bloggers and social media influencers in Somalia say extra caution is needed during the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Hassan Osman Istiila, a Somali journalist, said: “As journalists, bloggers and social media influencers, we have an extra responsibility, especially during elections, to inform the public about this critical process. Therefore, we need to be very careful not to publish unverified news because it is irresponsible. It is better to publish news late than to publish fake news.”
Somalia’s government, which has a poor record on press freedom, said it would allow journalists into polling centres to get first-hand information in a bid to reduce fake news during the election.
Abdirahim Isse Adow, director of media training at Iran’s Information Ministry, said the ministry will also intensify awareness campaigns against fake news through state media and in partnership with civil society groups and religious leaders.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s political leaders called on the media to carry out their duties professionally and responsibly as the Horn of Africa country prepares for a hotly contested presidential election.
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