‘Check the facts; don’t get it twisted’ campaign combats electoral disinformation

Ghana's 2024 general election has ended peacefully with foreign and local observers declaring the process as free and fair, following a successful anti-misinformation campaign.

A disinformation campaign, supported by the European Union (EU), the Netherlands Embassy and the French Embassy, was initiated to address and reduce the spread of misinformation and disinformation before Ghana’s election.

The campaign, dubbed: “Check the Facts; Don’t Get It Twisted”, was driven by the recognition of the increasing influence of unverified information on social media and other digital platforms, where individuals often encounter and share news without fact-checking.

This spreading of unchecked information could have contributed to intense confusion, mistrust and, ultimately, potential harm to the democratic process.

This campaign helped to raise public awareness about the risks and consequences of disinformation, particularly when it comes to the election.

It targeted the spread of unverified information on social media and digital platforms ahead of the election.

It sensitised Ghanaians to the tactics of deceitful actors intending to mislead and manipulate but also build resilience in combating the menace of misinformation and disinformation, which has been identified as one of the greatest global risks in the coming years.

Commenting on the election outcome, the Ambassador of the European Union to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly, said despite some regrettable and avoidable challenges, including loss of lives, injuries, and some life-threatening situations that occurred in some parts of the country, the whole election process was free and fair.

He explained that aside from the role played by the political parties in ensuring that the will of the people determined the outcome of the election, the role of the media and diplomatic missions in ensuring a peaceful election could not also be overlooked.

“To a very large extent, there was minimal misinformation and disinformation around the whole election process,” he added.

Mr Razaaly said disinformation, the deliberate spreading of false information, posed significant threats during this critical time, leading to misunderstandings, anxiety and even potential violence.

“By focusing on equipping citizens with tools to identify and avoid false information, the campaign fostered a more informed electorate and reinforced the importance of accuracy in information sharing,” he said.