S. Africa makes fresh bid to streamline election campaigns

CAPE TOWN, April 1 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission on Monday launched an online reporting platform for digital disinformation as a fresh bid to streamline election campaigns.

The platform allows citizens to report instances of alleged digital disinformation which include false, inaccurate or misleading information designed to intentionally cause harm, according to the commission.

Such false information intends to unduly affect participation in and the outcome of elections, the commission said.

South Africa will hold general elections on May 8. It is seen as the most severely contesting election since the end of apartheid in 1994.

The ruling African National Congress (ANC), one of Africa's oldest liberation movement which remains dominant since 1994, has experienced eroding public support due to reported corruption and poor economic performance.

The platform forms part of the work of the Directorate of Electoral Offences which was first established ahead of the 2016 municipal elections to investigate alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct and prohibited conduct.

It consists of a panel of independent attorneys appointed to investigate each complaint and make recommendations for possible further action to the commission.

Disinformation poses a threat to free and fair elections elsewhere in the world, said Janet Love, vice chairperson of the commission.

"This platform is South Africa's innovative step to help channel any complaints to people with the relevant capabilities so that the Electoral Commission can take the necessary action quickly," she said.

Due to widespread social media use, electoral commissions are on a mission to find ways to prevent disinformation, Love said.

The online platform will help enable the rapid submission and consideration of any complaints received of alleged disinformation, she added.

To help distinguish between official and fake adverts, political parties contesting the elections have been asked to upload all official advertising material used by the party to an online political advert repository.

This will allow anyone to check whether a poster or a digital banner is legitimate or has been digitally altered.

William Bird, director of Media Monitoring Africa, said one of the core challenges surrounding disinformation is that it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction.

"Without the necessary skills and techniques to distinguish real information from disinformation, the likelihood of members of the public being misled is increasing," Bird said.

While efforts to build critical digital literacy skills have been made, it is essential, in the lead up to elections, that concerted efforts to develop digital literacy skills are rolled out, he said.

Last month, a total of 49 South African political parties signed a pledge to observe the Electoral Code of Conduct as they campaign and prepare for the upcoming elections. Enditem