Introduction
One of the key mandates of FactSpace West Africa is the building of digital tools to tackle misinformation and disinformation both online and offline. This article highlights the functions of some tools we have built or helped built with partners.
These include: the AIRA viral facts platform, the GhanaFact WhatsApp Chatbot, Cranky Uncle vaccine app, the GhanaFact Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform and Info Finder tool.
The WhatsApp Chatbot
The GhanaFact WhatsApp Chatbot is a digital platform that enables WhatsApp users to alert fact-checkers to false, misleading, and unsubstantiated claims they find across social media. The Chatbot accepts claims in the form of text, images, documents and videos, which can be sent through GhanaFact’s tipline or via a dedicated button on our website (ghanafact.com). Users simply click the WhatsApp icon at the bottom right corner of the page to submit their content.
The Chatbot is designed to automatically respond to users with already existing articles published on our website or to alert fact-checkers to claims that need to be worked on. In this situation, once the fact-check report is ready, it is published on our websites and across our social media platforms.
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When claims are submitted to the chatbot, the team prioritises submissions that are widely circulated or have a significant impact on public health, safety, or democratic processes. Since its rollout in 2024, the team has published 11 fact-check reports, which were mostly misleading or AI-generated content.
IVR Media Literacy Content
The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Media Literacy Content platform is built for the Ghanaian offline population, who have been identified as an underserved group when it comes to the fight against information disorder.
The platform, still under construction, will have pre-recorded Media Literacy Content which will cover explanations on key thematic areas such as disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, Hate Speech, and how to identify fake news among many others.
The platform at first instance will operate in three languages, including English and three local languages (Twi, Hausa and Dagbani). Furthermore, the platform will, in the long term, allow callers to connect to a fact-checker and report a claim for investigation.
Cranky Uncle
Cranky Uncle is a vaccine game app that can be downloaded onto smartphones, laptops and other smart gadgets. The software application operates in the form of a game where, in the process of playing, the system provides answers to debunk viral misinformation associated with vaccines.
The app provides science and fact-based information through the interaction between a professional nurse and an old man who is identified as the ‘Cranky Uncle’ who doubts the efficacy of vaccines and the science that backs their production.
The app allows users to choose from three broad areas;
- Learn a trick which the Cranky Uncle uses to mislead and distort vaccine information.
- Take a quiz to test your level of resistance to misinformation
- How to play the game, which is the false narrative from Cranky Uncle and counter debunk the nurse.
UNICEF, in collaboration with IRIMI, FactSpace West Africa, and the Ministry of Health (MoH), officially launched the app in Ghana in April 2024.
AIRA Viral Facts
The Africa Infodemic Response Alliance Viral Facts is a platform championed by the WHO African Region (AFRO) which brought together fact-checking organisations and Non-Profit Organisation working in the information integrity ecosystem across Africa to tackle the infodemic that came alongside the outbreak of COVID-19.
The platform was guided by four pillars which include;
- Identify information gaps and misinformation.
- Simplify technical knowledge.
- Amplify correct information.
- Quantify the impact of interventions.
GhanaFact and other members of the alliance produce fact-based health information, fact-checks, debunks and misinformation literacy content in the form of videos, animations and visual cards. See some of the content we produced here.
Info Finder
The Info Finder is a digital platform developed by Africa Check that helps users to access verified and fact-based information from countries across the continent including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Zimbabwe.
The platform provides information that covers agriculture, COVID-19, economy, crime and justice, elections and political parties, environment, health, land, migration, welfare and population from these five anglophone African countries.
The platform has segments where you can explore only facts, ask questions, find sources or seek the assistance of a journalist (helpdesk for journalists), and a page where you can submit a query.
