Facebook, has launched a new campaign in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) called ‘Together Against Covid-19 Misinformation’, aimed at tackling fake COVID-19 pandemic news across a number of countries in Africa.
According to a statement issued, the campaign will appear on Facebook through a series of graphics with tips on how to detect false news.
It will roll out to people in English and French languages across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and DRC.
COVID-19 misinformation has been rampant in Africa and across the globe and Facebook is playing its part to ensure that people access the correct information and also have the ability to spot fake news about the pandemic.
“Ensuring users are getting authoritative information about Covid-19 vaccines is just some of the vital work we’re doing here at Facebook,” said Aïda Ndiaye, Public Policy Manager at Facebook.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, we’ll continue working with industry experts and people on our platforms to ensure we’re aggressively tackling misinformation, and giving people additional resources to scrutinize content they see online, helping them decide what to read, trust and share,” added Ndiaye.
As part of the campaign, Facebook will also be launching a dedicated website in English and French, which will include information on how the company is tackling misinformation on its platforms.
It will give people more transparency and share the steps to combat false news around global events such as Covid-19, elections and climate change. Click here for more information.
