The National Online Safety Coalition, through its #FWDwithFacts campaign, has voiced strong condemnation of Meta’s recent decision to terminate partnerships with third-party fact-checkers and significantly weaken content moderation across its platforms.
This move, although alarming global, seems particularly directed at Nigeria and the broader African continent, where unchecked misinformation and targeted disinformation campaigns have had deadly and destabilizing consequences.
A statement jointly signed by 20 CSOs, and cited by Vanguard, noted that Meta’s actions have raised serious concerns, signaling a troubling shift in big tech companies where permissive policies take precedence over accountability.
According to them, this is particularly dangerous in regions like Africa, where misinformation not only disrupts public discourse but leads to violence, political instability, and even loss of life.
The statement further read: “In Nigeria, false information has fueled division, conflict, and even fatalities. A prime example was seen during the 2023 elections, where lies about political candidates caused ethnic and religious tensions, with fact-checkers reporting up to 100,000 false claims daily on social media.
“A similar incident occurred in 2018 when a fake photo posted on Facebook triggered an ethnic conflict in Plateau State, resulting in twelve tragic deaths. With the dismantling of fact-checking mechanisms, Meta’s decision could worsen these harmful dynamics and exacerbate real-world consequences.
“With nearly 42 million Facebook users and over 50 million on WhatsApp in Nigeria alone, these social media platforms have become integral to the information ecosystem. While they have helped facilitate connection and communication, they have also become breeding grounds for misinformation, hate speech, and propaganda. The retreat of Meta from fact-checking only fuels these dangerous trends, which could escalate rapidly in fragile regions.”
The coalition also stated that as Nigeria and other African nations face critical challenges in strengthening participatory governance, Meta’s decision to scale back its efforts to combat misinformation raises the risk of election interference, violence, and the erosion of societal trust.
The coalition, however, called on African governments, particularly in Nigeria, to take immediate action to safeguard their citizens from the dangers posed by misinformation.
Advocacy Lead at Gatefield and campaign spokesperson, Shirley Ewang, emphasised the urgency of the situation: “The stakes are high, and it’s critical that regulators take action now. African governments must step in and step up as Meta steps down. It’s time to set clear rules for Big Tech and hold them accountable to protect citizens from the dangers of false information in the interest of democracy, stability, and social cohesion.”
The coalition while providing recommendations, outlined key steps for the Nigerian government and other African leaders to address the challenges posed by Meta’s policy shift:
“Mandate Transparency: Require tech platforms like Meta to publish clear strategies for managing misinformation and harmful content within Nigeria.
“Establish Legal Frameworks: Create legal frameworks that hold tech platforms accountable for enabling the spread of harmful content.
“Partner with Civil Society: Collaborate with local organizations to educate Nigerians on identifying fake news and understanding the risks of spreading misinformation.
“Develop Policy Guidelines: Work with civil society to develop locally relevant content-moderation guidelines that align with cultural norms and prevent harmful policy changes from spreading across Africa.”
