The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) has highlighted the challenges posed by the rapid spread of false claims, online rumours, and artificial intelligence-generated content in Africa. According to the FAJ, the growth of digital platforms has made it easier for misleading information to reach large audiences, particularly during elections, conflicts, and emergencies.
This year’s International Day for Universal Access to Information theme, “Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The Role of Access to Information in Addressing Information Disorder,” underscores the importance of addressing these issues. The FAJ noted that false election claims, rumours circulated through WhatsApp groups, and AI-generated audio and video are among the forms of content contributing to an increasingly complex information environment across Africa.
The FAJ emphasised the importance of reliable official information in enabling journalists and citizens to verify claims before accepting or sharing them. FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman stated that governments have a responsibility to provide timely and accessible information while allowing journalists to operate independently and safely.
Osman stressed that governments must release information promptly and openly, and journalists must be able to report freely and safely, while the public must have the facts to challenge falsehoods and hold decision-makers to account. The FAJ also cited barriers to accessing information, such as secrecy, delays in releasing information, language differences, geographical limitations, and inadequate connectivity, as factors that can prevent sections of the population from obtaining reliable information.
The FAJ called on African Union member states to implement access-to-information laws effectively and, where such laws are absent, adopt legislation consistent with the Model Law on Access to Information for Africa. The organisation also urged governments to ensure that information is provided in languages understood by the communities they serve.
The FAJ rejected censorship and increased state control as solutions to misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, instead advocating for independent journalism, safer working conditions for journalists, and increased media and information literacy to help citizens assess information circulating online.
Key points
- The FAJ emphasised the importance of cooperation between governments, media organisations, journalists, citizens, and technology companies in strengthening information integrity.
- The organisation called for digital platforms to improve transparency around how content is recommended and moderated.
- Access to credible information remains central to enabling citizens to participate in public affairs and distinguish verified information from false or manipulated claims.
