A report on the impact of online information disorder on the 2023 general elections, released by a frontline pro-democracy group, Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, says more than 63 per cent infractions on the Presidential Peace Accord were on social media.
It also said presidential candidates’ spokespersons, across all main parties, are pushing disinformation using their social media handles.
Director of CDD, Indayat Hassan, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, in Abuja, noted that a major aspect of the report focused on the political actors, whose activities drive the spread of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.
According to Hassan, multiplicity of actors’ activities have made separating fact from fiction difficult for Nigerians during the build-up to the polls.
“But it is not just party activists that are more directly involved, parties are again using networks of aligned supporters to win the ‘online war’ An analysis of breaches of the Peace Accord moderated by the National Peace Committee revealed more than 63% of the infractions were on social media.
“The report also documented how the disinformation ecosystem has created lucrative opportunities, particularly for youth. It revealed how the most visible political influencers on social media, who are hired by political parties or individual candidates, earn up to N500,000 (US$1200) a month, whilst those with smaller followings are likely to receive nearer N50,000 (US$110).
“Though not all influencers are paid, those that are, believe that politicians have increasingly come to recognize the important role social media plays in politics and are investing more resources in it as a result,” she said.
According to the report, young citizens currently receive most of their information from digital platforms and that social media influencers even determine the direction and narrative taken by traditional media.
It further noted that “their influence extends beyond the online sphere, which is important, as in rural communities traditional media, in particular local radio, still retains a strong influence.
“Less prominent, but still important, are public relations firms such as Mint Reach who are playing an increasingly prominent role in handling the digital campaigns of frontline presidential candidates,” the report said.
It also stated that “The CDD report notes that greater access to online information has not translated into more informed citizens, pointing out that social media has in many contexts confused citizens while entrenching pre-existing divides based on ethnicity and religion.
“The report also bemoans the anomaly of the information disorder, which gains traction on social media, especially the reality of malinformation, which involves the deliberate sharing of genuine information with an intent to cause harm. This thrives in the political discourse in the build-up to the polls, the report notes.”
“The report talks about coordination by the Nigerian media and civil society platforms towards tackling disinformation in the 2023 electoral cycle.
It noted that the setup of the Nigerian Fact Checking Coalition in September 2022 has enabled 12 Nigerian media and civil society platforms to jointly investigate, author, and disseminate fact checks, widening their reach.