CDD West Africa, NDI Countering Disinformation Conference Explores Artificial Intelligence, Roles of Social Media Companies

PRESS STATEMENT

For immediate release:

Abuja, July 5, 2024

CDD West Africa, NDI Countering Disinformation Conference Explores Artificial Intelligence, Roles of Social Media Companies

From July 9 to 11, 2024, stakeholders across civil society, the media and state institutions, will converge in Lagos for the Second West Africa Conference on Countering Information Manipulation. The conference, organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD West Africa) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) with funding support from Global Affairs Canada, will convene stakeholders from across the region to exchange knowledge, share best practices and develop collaborative strategies to address the spread of disinformation, hate speech, and other forms of information manipulation.

Scholars and practitioners in the field of countering disinformation will have the space to reflect on the threats posed by disinformation as well as best practices and collaborative strategies to effectively counter it. In line with learned findings, which provide a plethora of evidence about how disinformation undermines the civic will, the electoral process, and ultimately trust in democratic institutions, NDI and CDD reckon that the outcomes of the conference will energise and enable effective synergies, which will safeguard the information space in the West Africa sub-region.

The event will have a particular focus on regional experiences in countering information manipulation in elections and transition contexts in the past year, the role of Artificial Intelligence in this field, the changing role of technology platforms and tools, the impact of information manipulation on women and marginalised communities, and a review of good practices and development of actionable recommendations to counter these harmful phenomena. In the context of the role of technology, particularly, Artificial Intelligence, a diverse array of keynote speakers and panelists will explore thematic issues focusing on:

• The tactics used in recent regional elections to spread misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech and their impact on electoral processes;
• The role of artificial intelligence in both combating and creating disinformation;
• The targeting of marginalised communities, including women, by harmful informational campaigns and their effects on social divisions and confidence in democratic processes; and
• Tools and methodologies for addressing these challenges and monitoring the online space.

The conference will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions. Participants will engage in interactive discussions, share case studies, and learn from experts who are directly addressing disinformation and hate speech in the region. Also, the conference, given its hybrid format of physical and online attendance, gives a broad spectrum of participants to be a part of the deliberations. Similarly, a pre-conference survey, offers a wider audience of participants the opportunity to share insights and perspectives about their experiences with disinformation. CDD and NDI welcome online participants to the conference. Register to participate by clicking the link:

 Signed:

 Dr. Dauda Garuba

Director, CDD West Africa