CrossCheck launched in Nigeria to fight misinformation

CrossCheck Nigeria builds on what First Draft and its partners learned about misinformation on WhatsApp from the Comprova project in Brazil. Facebook is used by 24 million Nigerians every month, but the platform has only four people, from third-party fact-checking organizations, working to combat misinformation there, BBC Africa Eye reported earlier this year in an […]

CrossCheck Nigeria builds on what First Draft and its partners learned about misinformation on WhatsApp from the Comprova project in Brazil.

Facebook is used by 24 million Nigerians every month, but the platform has only four people, from third-party fact-checking organizations, working to combat misinformation there, BBC Africa Eye reported earlier this year in an investigation into how fake news in the country has led to violence and murder.

“Fake news is doing a lot of damage to our society,” Tyopev Terna Matthias, the public relations officer for Nigeria’s Plateau State police, told the BBC. “We pray Facebook shall listen to us and do something fast.” (NiemanLab)