Nigerian businesses release an app to combat false information during elections

Rise Networks, a company that works with data science and artificial intelligence, released the “Run-Am” smartphone app on Friday in Abuja to stop the spread of false information during election season.

A Nigerian business releases an app to fight false information during elections.
The platform, which is available on the Google Play Store, is a tool that will assure accuracy and accountability of information throughout the elections of 2023 and beyond, according to Mrs. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, founder of Rise Networks.

She claimed that the MacArthur Foundation and the Center for Information, Technology, and Development (CITAD) supported the research.

She says that the app checks for false information that could lead to violence during elections by verifying news stories, images, and educating voters.

“Fake news is frequently reported during elections to stoke voter indifference; thus, you frequently hear that 50 people have been slain in a specific local government.”

And as a result, those who have PVCs won’t want to cast their ballots because they are terrified.

“But as you learn, you’ll discover that this information is false and that it will be simple for them to rig the elections when voters do not show up.”

She went on to say that the Run-Am App aims to address issues like these.

The organization was attempting to ensure that the app is run in our local languages and pidgin English for easy accessibility by all Nigerians, she continued.

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Victor Aluko, praised the business for its efforts to battle false information that could jeopardize the nation’s electoral processes.

“We are entering a significant election that will be contested by influential people and political parties.” As a result, the electoral process will be under pressure in many different ways.

We are examining how to control our results to ensure that people don’t misinform Nigerians. When we have that, you will see a lot of combinations of fake news, misinformation, and disinformation.

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“We tend to identify with them and express our satisfaction that this is coming from a Nigerian organization when we get this type of app from respected organizations like this,” he said.

Dayo Olaide, who is the Deputy Country Director for the Africa Office of the MacArthur Foundation, said that there are still threats to democracy all over the world.

He went on to say that Nigerians must start paying more attention to electoral accountability and calling out people who say things that cause division and spread false information if they want to save their democracy.

“As we launch the app today, we will need our folks to move beyond exposing those falsehoods and start demanding that those who are instigating this kind of assault against our democracy be held accountable.”

“The government, the people, and the media all have a responsibility to hold all actors accountable for their acts,” he continued. “That responsibility is not solely that of INEC.