Electronic armies and a social media ban in Nigeria
This week the government of Nigeria is announcing a ban on Twitter, fact-checkers are noticing vaccine hesitancy and its impact on global vaccinations, and disinformation campaigns in non-English languages are evading some platform responses.
A post by Meedan's Health Desk talks about how access to information starts with being able to read that information. Unavailable, unclear, or inaccessible communications can increase anxiety, especially during times of uncertainty and ambiguity. Check it out below for more details.
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Nigeria’s Twitter Ban Is Part of a Larger Attack on Civil Society (Inter Press Service)
The government of Nigeria announced a ban on Twitter after the platform deleted a controversial tweet by the country's president on June 2. Twitter’s operations in the country have been suspended indefinitely, with the government stating that the reason for this as 'persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence'. Nigerians have used Twitter to protest against government actions in the past, most notably through the #EndSARS movement, and this action by the government has led to some backlash, with media practitioners and activists in the country expressing fears of a potential rise in state repression.
"The [Nigerian] government’s action against social media platforms is part of a long-term strategy to bend civil society and force Nigeria’s citizens into compliance with the government. Twitter has been a major source of activism and news in Nigeria. It has become the platform to hold government, institutions and powerful individuals accountable." - Nelson Olanipekun, human rights lawyer and advocate
Second wave of 'infodemic' hampering Covid-19 vaccination drives (The Straits Times)
Fact-checkers in India, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries in the region have pointed to misinformation as a key reason for vaccine hesitancy. Misleading and false claims by inadequately-informed influencers, miscreants, and well-intentioned individuals which gain virality on social media instill fear and hesitancy in people and thereby hamper vaccination drives in these countries.
“Misinformation is a key reason for vaccine hesitancy in Indonesia, Mr Septiaji Eko Nugroho, chairman of Mafindo, an organisation fighting fake news in Indonesia. "Misinformation has a strong echo system and half-truths spread very, very quickly....The clarifications cannot match the disinformation. We have difficulties combating false information. It makes the campaign to vaccinate people very challenging," he added."
Are the Middle East's 'electronic armies' the most dangerous of all? (DW.com)
Partisan groups, states, and foreign agents use "electronic armies" to wage online hate campaigns against activists, journalists or dissidents in the Middle East. Well-funded and evading detection from platforms that have not invested in tackling non-English language disinformation, some campaigns have led to murder.
"In Western countries, digital campaigners might spread political messaging or pressure for change, Mahmoud Ghazayel, a specialist in online disinformation based in Lebanon, told DW. "But in the Middle East, they can easily get someone killed. Unfortunately, we already have a lot of examples of this," he said.
What’s new at Meedan
We have a right to information. But in a pandemic, many of us can't read the information.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for resource investment in preparedness planning. It has also highlighted the need for improved communications. We must ensure that the public has the information needed to make safe and informed health decisions to protect their health and the health of their families, friends, and communities. The findings from studies of government, academic, and public-health-focused COVID-19-related websites should serve as a call to action. To prevent the spread of misinformation, health communicators must take responsibility for creating more understandable and accessible content.