Doubting the real-world consequences of #disinformation actively spread through social media platforms? Read on. Not concerned with the lack of content moderation regulations for major US-based and international social media companies? Check out reporting from Silas Jonathan Silas via Premium Times Nigeria and Dubawa on how malign influence #misinformation reaches young people, with dire consequences:
76 people, including 30 minors between the ages of 14 and 17, were charged with treason and inciting a military coup after they were seen waving Russian flags during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests against economic hardship. The 30 minors were released after three months of incarceration.
Many of the minors were alleged to have joined a social media group in Hausa named “Zanga-Zanga” (meaning “protest”) on WhatsApp (owned by Meta) and TikTok, where they reportedly agreed to take arms against the state.
Elsewhere, #SocialMedia feeds and messaging channels like “African Initiative” were promoting pro-Russian sentiments and calls for military intervention, directly influencing actions such as the display of Russian flags during Nigerian protests. African Initiative, which describes itself as a Russian news agency, reached approximately 50,000 subscribers By the end of June 2024. Growth continued steadily throughout July, August, and September.
What kind of influence can disinformation on social media feeds have?:
• Umar was one of those who waved the flags. “I waved the flag,” he admitted. He had been invited by a friend to a meeting in Hotoro, in Kano, where they were handed Russian flags and told that they symbolize freedom.
• Mustapha, a former cabbage seller, also waved the Russian flag, believing it represented military strength. “Mallam Tafida (a businessman from Abuja, had been distributing Russian flags in Jos) told us the flag means a military takeover,” Mustapha explained. He recalled seeing an image of Nigeria’s president standing before a flag, which fueled his belief that this was a symbol of power, not foreign influence.
• “We employed children to wave the flags,” Saleh, a TikToker from Kaduna, recounted how he offered bread to hungry children in Zaria, specifically in Kwangila, to convince them to join the protest. Most of these children had no idea what the flags represented; they were simply grateful for a meal.
What will the policies of the next US administration and US Congress have on any efforts to modernize Section 230 content moderation regulations? What impact will the next administration have on #internationaldevelopment funding to counter intentional Russian disinformation activities in struggling democracies?
#medialiteracy #mediadevelopment #fakenews #journalismmatters #journalism
