Defyhatenow set to combat disinformation during election period in Cameroon
By Ngombet Claudia
In view of the 2025 electoral period in Cameroon, Defyhatenow through the ALL AFFCameroon Conference 2024 has strategized on how to effectively combat mis/disinformation, fake news and hate speech.
Drawing from past lessons and experiences in identifying digital threats posed by mis/disinformation, fake news and hate speech during election periods in Africa and Cameroon in particular, the All AFFCameroon Conference 2024, with theme “Combating digital threats to elections in Cameroon: Strategies for combating disinformation during the electoral period” brought together diverse stakeholders who discussed on strategies towards combating disinformation during electoral period.
“We are looking at developing and designing more counter strategies to entrepreneurs of violence and conflicts on the digital spaces”, the Cameroon Project Manager for Defyhatenow, Ngala Desmond Ngala said.
On his part, the Technical Adviser, Office of the Chairperson, ELECAM, Ntonye Njoya Mohamed said, “our presence here today is to accompany this organisation in this brilliant initiative that we are commending, and we will do our best to bring together all the stakeholders so that they can understand the importance of combating disinformation in the electoral process, with the view of consolidating democracy in Cameroon”.
“With the increasing rise of the use of social media in election processes, we want to make sure that we as Cameroonians can enjoy our civic rights and go to elections without being influenced. That is why we are engaging first and foremost, our fellows that have been trained for the past four years in this, but also partnering with different stakeholders and representatives of government institutions, other organisations and the diplomagic corps”, Ngala Desmond Ngala reiterated.
The two-day conference which took place in Yaounde from 27 to 28 March, had in attendance over 200 participants and representatives from the Ministry of Communication (MINCOM), the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MINPOSTEL), National Communication Council (NCC), Election Cameroon (ELECAM), Cameroon National Youth Council (CNYC), Civil society organisations, the media, fact-checkers and fellows among others.
