Meta promises to combat fake news ahead of 2023 general elections
Meta, the parent company of social media platforms: Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, has assured Nigerians of its readiness to protect the integrity of the 2023 general elections.
How does it intend to do so?
The social media giant company announced that it was taking steps to combat the spread of misinformation and as well make political advertising more transparent, stressing that the effort would continue in the lead-up to, during, and after voting.
Speaking at an event, Meta’s Head of Public policy for Anglophone West Africa, Adaora Ikenze said:
“We know we have an important responsibility for helping keep people safe during the elections. Using lessons from the past including input from experts and policymakers across the national spectrum, we’ve made substantial investments in people and technology to reduce misinformation, remove harmful content on our platforms and fight voter interference and promote civic engagements during the elections”.
Ikenze said Meta would continue to work closely with election authorities and local partners in Nigeria to ensure that the company is preparing for the specific challenges in the country and taking appropriate steps to stay ahead of emerging threats.
What are the steps Meta is taking?
According to Ikenze, some of the steps being taken by Meta to prepare for the 2023 elections include a dedicated cross-functional team spread across the world, as well as locally focused on the Nigeria elections. The team also includes individuals “with global expertise in misinformation, hate speech, elections and disinformation”, who are working hard to prevent any abuse of Meta’s services before, during, and after the 2023 general elections.
He also said Meta was investing in its safety and security team to keep people safe and has improved its WhatsApp bulk and automated messaging terms of service, adding that if the company finds instances of people misusing the service, the accounts would be removed.
