Fake news, election-related disinformation laws, and citizens’ rights in African political ecology

This article builds on innovative methodologies that social scientists employ to interrogate election-related disinformation. The paper analyses the roles of regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, and technology platforms in halting the spread of disinformation, stressing how these entities can protect the rights of citizens while ensuring the credibility and transparency of electoral processes. The Actor, Behaviour, Content, Degree, and Effect (ABCDE) framework is employed along with a systematic review of literature. The paper identifies key areas of knowledge that African researchers can prioritise in relation to content regulation, human rights protection, and the channels through which election-related disinformation is disseminated. A multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach is proposed to combat disinformation. The article affirms that policies governing the digital sphere in Africa should be tailored to the continent’s unique contexts, constraints, and conditions so that African countries can benefit fully from the information age.