Disinformation is by no means a novel concept; history is littered with examples of the diffusion of deceptive content. Sun Tzu recognised the central role of disinformation in conflict advocating that [a]ll warfare is based on deception.” 1 The invention of the printing press saw a rise in the sp...
8 September 2022, News24, William Bird The current attacks on News24 legal journalist Karyn Maughan aren’t just despicable for how they insult and demean and violate her dignity, they are despicable because they perpetuate and celebrate misogyny and threaten freedom of expression and our democ...
17 July 2022, William Bird and Tina Power, Daily Maverick Given that our work at Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) traverses on- and offline forms of media and communication, we were – and remain – acutely aware of the role of social media in some instances escalating the unrest. The role of social ...
3 May 2022, Allafrica, PRESS RELEASE South Africa is facing several threats to freedom of expression with at least 59 separate incidents where journalists were subjected to physical or verbal attacks and harassment, Amnesty International South Africa, Campaign for Free Expression, Committee to Prote...
4 March 2022, News24, Iavan Pijoos “We do know that concerning and at times harmful content was being spread, which appears to have contributed to the anger and facilitated the incitement to violence and disorder,” Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) director, William Bird, told the commissio...
3 March 2022, Dispatchlive, Ernest Mabuza and Nomahlubi Sonjica Media Monitoring Africa director William Bird said as a general rule censoring a channel is not good for freedom of expression, even if it is biased and disseminates propaganda. “Disinformation is different and that can and should be ...
24 October 2021, Daily Maverick, William Bird and Nomshado Lubisi The Independent Electoral Commission and Media Monitoring Africa have joined hands with major social media platforms to fight the spread of disinformation in the 1 November municipal elections. Read full article ...
14 November 2021, Daily Maverick,William Bird and Nomshado Lubisi Content that shocks or horrifies or makes us feel anxious or fearful is often used by disinformers. This week we look at a recent example from the Real411 system to show how our emotional responses are used to cloud rational thought a...
31 October 2021, eNCA Make an informed choice in the voting booth. So says the Electoral Commission who with Media Monitoring Africa have joined hands with major social media platforms to fight the scourge of disinformation. For more, eNCA speaks to Nomshado Lubisi from media monitoring Africa. Cour...