Meta’s decision to replace its fact-checking program with a crowd-sourced moderation model called Community Notes has raised concerns about its potential impact on Nigeria’s already critical misinformation problem, African media company “Techpoint Africa” said on Saturday.
The policy shift, announced on January 7, 2025, prioritizes high-severity violations like terrorism over fact-checking controversial content.
Shirly Ewang of Gatefield, a public advocacy firm, warns that Nigeria could face worsening ethnic and religious tensions.
In the 2023 elections, misinformation fueled political manipulation and conflict, with over 100 false claims reported daily. Examples include doctored photos inciting ethnic violence in Plateau State and misleading narratives exacerbating the farmers-herders conflict.
Ewang argues that Community Notes, while transparent, will not effectively curb misinformation, as harmful content often spreads rapidly before corrections are made. She calls on governments and civil society to educate citizens about fake news and urge tech companies to develop localized solutions to safeguard democracy and social harmony.
