The potential impact of information disorders on the 2024 elections

Thomas Nkhoma | Monday January 15, 2024 06:00

While we must happy that in this era of digital technology, information becomes easily available, but on the other hand we must be wary that the integrity of such information and communications systems is largely compromised by the proliferation of fake news.

Notwithstanding that in some instances fake news may be unwittingly shared without any intention to cause harm (misinformation), the increasing spread of information which is shared to inflict harm on individuals and institutions (disinformation) threatens processes such as elections and democracy.

Many would remember one of the biggest disinformation campaigns of the 2020 alleging that the US presidential elections had been rigged. A video claiming to show “ballot stuffing” was used to support the claims. However, because the said video was from Russia, this was pure disinformation using false context in that experts linked similar posts to the January 6, 2021 attempted insurrection at the US Capitol.

Similarly, as Botswana gears up for its much-anticipated 2024 elections, the country faces a multifaceted challenge that extends beyond traditional campaign dynamics. The rise of disinformation, misinformation, and mal-information poses a significant threat to the integrity of the electoral process, potentially shaping public opinion, influencing voter behaviour, and undermining the democratic principles at the core of the electoral system. Experts say misinformation and disinformation are here to stay and the next frontier for such may be climate misinformation.

But who is involved and how do they do it? Many of those who are involved in creating and spreading misinformation but especially disinformation are people who want to push a certain point of view or hurt others. The goal of disinformation is to disrupt and cause chaos. Nonetheless, some people may share misinformation without any malice but motivated by the desire to help. Some spread it with the intention to make money.

Advertisers and scammers use misinformation and disinformation to make money sharing deceptively edited videos and fake profiles to sell dangerous merchandise. “Pink slime” websites or false news websites create fake sensational stories drive traffic to their sites and sell advertising. Sometimes people unwittingly spread misinformation with the desire to entertain especially satire that is shared without context. Given this, what is then the impact of disinformation? The intentional spread of false or misleading information, has the potential to sow confusion, erode trust in institutions, and manipulate public opinion. In the context of elections, false narratives about candidates, parties or the electoral process can mislead voters and compromise the integrity of the democratic process. More dangerous are computer generated videos (deepfakes) that can make something appear more real and authentic. Cheap fakes which are videos that have been edited by cutting and splicing real videos to make it look like someone is saying something that are not, are also insidiously dangerous.

As we move towards the 2024 general elections, it is critical that we exercise vigilance in identifying and countering disinformation campaigns that may seek to exploit political fault lines, tarnish the reputation of candidates or cast doubt on the legitimacy of the electoral process.

Another critical area is voter perception with regard to misinformation. It must be borne in mind that often spread unwittingly, misinformation can be just as damaging. In the electoral context, misinformation may include inaccurate information about polling locations, voting procedures, or candidate positions. This can result in voter confusion, potentially suppressing turnout or leading to the casting of uninformed votes. Efforts to educate the public on reliable sources of information, fact-checking mechanisms, and the importance of verifying election-related details will be critical in mitigating the impact of misinformation.

Another area of concern that appears to be gaining traction is mal-information that has the potential to cause social discord. Mal-information, characterized by the dissemination of harmful or damaging information, can contribute to social discord and political polarisation. In an election setting, this may involve the malicious spreading of rumours, personal attacks or the circulation of inflammatory content. Such tactics can escalate tensions, creating a challenging environment for free and fair elections.

Batswana must remain vigilant in detecting and addressing threats of mal-information. Doing this, will foster a climate of respectful political discourse and ensure that the electoral process remains a platform for constructive debate as opposed to a breeding ground for hostility. Given the foregoing, the most important question is, how then can one spot misinformation, disinformation and mal-information? There are three critical questions that must be answered that the Stanford History Education came up with following a study in 2015 look at how college students, professional fact-checkers and historians consumed content differently online.

1) Who is behind the information? 2) What is the evidence? 3) What do other sources say?

In addition to these questions, there are red flags that one must look out for before sharing a video, photos, memes, screenshots from other platforms and false news websites. If information creates strong feelings especially surprise or disgust, that is a red flag. Another red flag is something that seems to confirm your opinion or worldview, articles with no date or author or a viral post that comes from an unverified account aimed at impersonating a politician in this instance. There are tools that one can use to tackle these information disorders. These are practicing lateral reading whereby you refer to more than one sources for information.

Reading upstream and beyond the headline whereby when you read an article you follow links to the original article. For images, one can do reverse image search whereby you make a right click on the image and google search to discover the original source.

The Role of Media and Civil Society

As custodians of information, the media and civil society organisations in Botswana play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of information disorders. Journalists must adhere to ethical reporting standards, fact-check information rigorously, and provide a platform for diverse perspectives. Civil society can contribute by promoting media literacy, advocating for transparent electoral processes, and holding those spreading disinformation accountable.

As the countdown to the 2024 elections begins, disinformation, misinformation and mal-information pose significant challenges to the electoral process hence require stakeholder interventions. As such we are at a critical phase where the integrity of the democratic process hinges on its ability to navigate the complex landscape of information disorders. By fostering a culture of information literacy, encouraging responsible journalism, and promoting civic engagement, Batswana can safeguard the democratic principles that form the bedrock of their electoral system.

*Nkhoma is a media veteran and chairperson of the Media Institute of Southern Africa Botswana chapter