Africa
- South Sudan is taking a major swing at fighting online misinformation. Government officials and journalists participated in August workshops that led to 10 government offices pledging to verify their social media accounts, while 60 officials received training on spotting and stopping false information.
“There’s no single website for journalists to access changes happening in the government. Most government officials’ Facebook accounts aren’t even up to date. We need to streamline our government presence on social media because a lack of verified accounts leads journalists to quote fake sources.” - Engineer Napoleon Adok, Director General of the National Communication Authority
- Uganda is stepping up efforts to combat Mpox misinformation through specialized media training for journalists in the South-western region, where misconceptions have led some residents to seek treatment from witch doctors. The initiative, organized by UNICEF and WHO in partnership with Uganda’s Ministry of Health, comes in response to a surge of 26 Mpox cases and aims to improve public health communication and challenge dangerous myths.
“Some members of the public have developed a false perception of Mpox, believing it to be linked to witchcraft. In some cases, people are even seeking treatment from witch doctors, which is both dangerous and misguided. The media must step up to correct this misinformation.” - Jackson Kadumye, Senior Communications Officer, Uganda Ministry of Health
- Zimbabwe wants WhatsApp admins to pay up or shut down. A controversial new regulation requires group administrators to register and pay a minimum $50 license fee, allegedly to fight misinformation.The new regulation, which includes a $50 minimum fee, is being framed by authorities as a tool to combat misinformation and enforce data protection standards, though civil society groups warn it could stifle free expression and digital privacy.
- Namibia’s Media Ombudsman reports an encouraging trend in the country’s information environment, with reduced levels of disinformation during the current pre-election period compared to 2019. The improvement may be linked to increased public awareness following the COVID-19 pandemic, which demonstrated the real-world impacts of misinformation.
“We don’t know the exact reason for this, but it may be related to the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. People witnessed the dangers of misinformation and its consequences, such as the hesitancy towards vaccination and the devastating effects on our nation”
- South Africa’s government is actively countering what it describes as coordinated disinformation efforts surrounding its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation characterizes these efforts as part of a broader campaign to undermine accountability and international justice mechanisms.
“The lamentable aspersions being cast on our case form part of a larger campaign to shield Israel from accountability, to dehumanise Palestinians, and to undermine a just case firmly rooted in international law” - Minister Ronald Lamola
- In Nigeria, an investigation has revealed how Telegram and TikTok were weaponized to spread Russian disinformation during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests, ultimately leading to the arrest and detention of numerous minors. The investigation uncovered a sophisticated disinformation network centered around the “Africa Initiative” Telegram channel, which experienced rapid growth to 50,000 subscribers just before the protests and coordinated with paid TikTok influencers to spread pro-Russian narratives. The investigation traced the “Africa Initiative” to a Russian state organization called “Initsiativa 23,” led by Artem Sergeyevich Kureyev, identified by the US State Department as an FSB agent. The campaign exploited economic hardship and social media platforms’ weak content moderation to spread pro-Russian sentiment, ultimately resulting in the arrest of over 90 protesters, including 29 minors who faced potential death penalty charges before presidential intervention secured their release.
- Ahead of Nigeria’s November 16 Ondo State governorship election, democracy watchdogs are warning about targeted disinformation campaigns that threaten voter participation despite relatively high voter registration rates. A recent assessment by CDD-West Africa revealed widespread circulation of false narratives, including manipulated content targeting election officials based on their geographic origins and fabricated personal scandals involving political candidates. The analysis found that disinformation is being weaponized to suppress voter turnout through narratives suggesting the election’s outcome is predetermined.
- Nigerian fact-checking experts are warning about potential disinformation threats to the country’s upcoming malaria vaccination program, drawing parallels to historic vaccine hesitancy incidents that significantly impacted public health initiatives. A key concern centers on preventing a repeat of the 2003 polio vaccine crisis, where disinformation led to widespread boycotts and a 30% increase in polio cases.
“Social media is increasingly becoming a ‘dustbin of fake news’” - Lanre Olagunju
- Russia has dramatically escalated its disinformation campaigns in West Africa, particularly in coup-affected Sahel states, with campaigns quadrupling over the past two years. The Africa Center reports that nearly 60% of these campaigns are state-sponsored, with Russia launching 19 campaigns targeting Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger since 2018. Chinese and Qatari state actors have also increased their presence in these regions, taking advantage of post-coup political instability.
“There is a wave of anti-Western sentiment, so Russia is using this fertile ground,” says Bilal Taïrou, coordinator of the African Verification Alliance.
Ghana: Mobilizing Every Tool
- Western embassies have launched a celebrity-driven anti-disinformation campaign in Ghana called “Check the Facts; Don’t get it twisted” ahead of the country’s 2024 elections, focusing on empowering young voters through localized content in multiple languages. The initiative combines celebrity influence with multilingual media literacy efforts, delivered through entertainment formats like skits and podcasts.
“When young citizens are empowered to seek factual information, unfiltered, they are also ambassadors against misinformation and they can play an active part in Ghanaian democracy” - Jeroen Verheul, Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana
- Meanwhile, a new investigation reveals an extensive AI-powered disinformation campaign targeting Ghana’s election, with 171 bot accounts on X using ChatGPT to generate political content favoring the incumbent party. According to NewsGuard research, these automated accounts post regimented pro-NPP messaging and attack opposition candidates, marking what researchers say is the first documented case of AI-generated content being used to influence Ghanaian elections.
- Ghana’s Electoral Commission is bracing for significant disinformation challenges ahead of the elections, with officials warning about the spread of false content across both traditional and digital media platforms. The head of training at Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, voiced particular concern about manipulated audio and video content, citing a recent incident where misleading footage was circulated about district-level elections. A university lecturer at UniMAC highlighted how disinformation particularly impacts marginalized groups’ political participation and warned that fake news could amplify voter confusion and social divisions that might lead to conflict. The Electoral Commission plans to counter these challenges through regular media updates to properly inform the public about election proceedings.
- The Ghana Fact-Checking Coalition has launched a major initiative involving 100 media outlets and 50 journalists to verify and distribute fact-checked reports in 45 local languages, while young Ghanaians are organizing conferences to build digital literacy. With over half of Ghana’s 34.65 million population online, WhatsApp (10.1 million users) and Facebook (7.4 million users) have become key channels for political messaging and potential disinformation, especially targeting voters aged 18-35.
“The Youth Against Disinformation conference is a platform focused on addressing the spread of misinformation and disinformation, particularly as it affects young people” - Malise Omoloye, journalist and conference co-host
Asia-Pacific
- Japan is accelerating its response to online disinformation as its Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry launches expert panel discussions, marking a shift from its previous voluntary compliance approach. The initiative comes as Japan prepares to implement the Information Distribution Platform Law by May 2025, which will require tech platforms to establish systems for removing inappropriate content, while the ministry simultaneously explores broader measures against disinformation. The developments point to Japan following the European regulatory model, particularly the Digital Services Act, which allows for fines up to 6% of annual global sales for companies that fail to prevent the spread of false information. The expert panel is particularly focused on addressing the “attention economy” where advertising revenue incentivizes the spread of disinformation through extreme content.
- A Malaysian political youth leader is mobilizing young party members to combat” disinformation campaigns” targeting their party leadership in Sabah, highlighting the growing intersection of youth political engagement and digital information defense. Datuk Fairuz Renddan, Youth Chief of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah, has called for a coordinated response to what he describes as deliberate misinformation efforts undermining party leadership and stability.
“In today’s digital age, fake news spread quickly through various platforms. There are certain parties that deliberately spread lies to damage the reputation of our party and leadership.”
- The Philippines military and coast guard officials have identified disinformation as their “most pressing challenge” in defending territorial claims in the South China Sea, with officials reporting an escalation in digital influence operations. Chinese-linked actors have reportedly deployed up to 10,000 false social media accounts to spread pro-Beijing narratives, while Philippine officials are countering through an “assertive transparency initiative” to document and publicize maritime encounters.
“The threats we confront are no longer limited to physical incursions or territorial disputes… While traditional territorial defence remains vital, we are now dealing with adversaries that operate in domains far removed from physical confrontation.” - General Rommel Cordova, Armed Forces of the Philippines
- Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs has embraced interactive storytelling on TikTok to combat terrorism-related misinformation and build community resilience, marking a shift from traditional fear-based messaging to empowerment-focused engagement. The campaign explicitly addresses how misinformation can be weaponized to create social division, while using choose-your-own-journey narratives to help citizens practice identifying and responding to potential threats.
- In India, a BJP Member of Parliament and youth leader faces legal consequences in Karnataka for allegedly spreading misinformation about a farmer’s suicide. The case involves Tejasvi Surya sharing false claims that linked a farmer’s death to land confiscation by the Waqf Board, which authorities say was intended to incite communal tensions. The incident demonstrates how authorities are increasingly using legal measures to combat politically motivated disinformation, with police filing charges under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita against both the politician and media outlets that spread the false narrative.
- A new survey from CFC Sri Lanka reveals how misinformation is hampering climate policy development in Sri Lanka, with 65% of voters reporting exposure to misleading climate information across media platforms. The findings show that while climate policy influences 80% of voters’ decisions, widespread disinformation is creating barriers to informed climate action ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections.
“86% believe that such misinformation negatively impacts the development and implementation of effective climate policies.”
- A major conference in Brisbane brought together Pacific and Australian leaders, academics, and students to tackle mounting challenges of disinformation across democracy, public health, and climate action. The DISINFO Pacific Conference, hosted by Griffith University in partnership with the UN and EU, emphasized practical solutions and regional collaboration to strengthen information integrity. Notable concrete outcomes included new strategies for protecting electoral processes, combating health misinformation, and addressing climate disinformation through a structured “What have we seen?”, “What have we learned?”, and “What can we do?” framework.
“This conference has represented a tremendous opportunity to focus academic and practical expertise on some of the most pressing problems facing societies today, in Australia and the Pacific, but also worldwide,” said Professor Luis Cabrera of the Griffith University organizing team.
Americas
- A new study reveals significant inorganic amplification of RT-affiliated journalist Inna Afinogenova’s Twitter content in Colombia, with over 11% of analyzed accounts showing automated behavior patterns that suggest coordinated inauthentic activity. The research, covering 54 months of social media data, provides fresh evidence of how information disorder manifests through sophisticated digital amplification tactics
- Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory is being leveraged by Guyana’s ruling PPP as an opportunity to reset narrative battles over disinformation, with the party seeking to counter what it characterizes as long-running opposition misinformation campaigns in US-Guyana relations. The PPP leadership is specifically positioning the upcoming Trump administration transition as a chance to challenge established opposition narratives about corruption and oil revenue management. This strategic pivot is captured in a key statement from PPP General-Secretary Jagdeo:
“Almost every mission that comes to Guyana from the United States of America, they have a standard mantra – the PPP is racist, the PPP is corrupt, the PPP is incompetent, the PPP squanders oil money and the PPP doesn’t like the United States of America, and we’re in bed with the Chinese.”
- A fact-checking investigation has exposed false claims about Brazilian military movements toward Venezuela, highlighting how outdated footage is being repurposed to create misleading narratives about regional tensions. Reuters Fact Check and the Brazilian military have both debunked viral TikTok videos claiming President Lula ordered troops to the Venezuelan border. Old military footage is being recycled to manufacture false crisis narratives, exploiting real diplomatic tensions between Brazil and Venezuela to make fabricated military escalations appear more credible.
- A coordinated disinformation campaign by Indian state media and pro-government influencers has targeted a Canadian Border Services Agency officer, revealing a pattern of digital harassment that puts Sikh-Canadians at risk of real-world violence. The incident highlights how online disinformation can escalate to physical threats, with the World Sikh Organization drawing direct connections between these digital campaigns and previous violence against Sikh leaders in Canada. State-backed disinformation campaigns can transition from online spaces to create tangible security risks for targeted individuals, with pro-government influencers like Gaurav Arya allegedly doxxing targets and inciting violence through false terrorism accusations.
“The false accusations and Indian disinformation campaign against Mr. Sidhu are part of an ongoing effort by India to malign Sikhs in Canada and to create confusion and dread in our community. India is consistently acting like a hostile and rogue country and continues to target Sikhs in Canada.” - Danish Singh, WSO President
Europe
- A new report from the “Hybrid” organization reveals how Russia is deploying parallel disinformation narratives against both Kosovo and Ukraine, including false claims about staged massacres and organ trafficking. The research documents how Russian state actors recycle and adapt disinformation strategies across different regions, using local tensions to amplify division and undermine Western influence.
“Through the veto in the UN, the refusal to recognize Kosovo as an independent state and the support of Serbia in international forums, Russia tries to prevent the integration and international recognition of Kosovo. Putin also uses Serbian nationalism to maintain his influence in the region and to create challenges for NATO” - Festim Rizanaj, researcher
- A new research report reveals how disinformation in Portugal during the 2024 European elections centered primarily on immigration narratives, diverging from the multi-thematic pattern seen across other EU countries. The analysis identifies the critical role of political amplification in spreading disinformation, with content requiring boosts from political actors to gain significant traction on social media. Politically amplified disinformation about immigration often reuses content and strategies from other European countries, suggesting coordinated cross-border tactics in spreading misleading narratives. The findings also show that despite high public concern about disinformation (72% of Portuguese citizens), relatively few cases were reported through official channels, raising questions about citizens’ ability to identify or willingness to report disinformation.
“In the Portuguese context, only the theme of immigration stands out from the disinformation paradigm in relation to the 2024 European elections.”