According to the 2025 Report on the State of Disinformation in the Digital Space in Mozambique, published by MISA Mozambique, the spread of false information intensified over the past year, particularly in the political sphere. More than 86 percent of the cases analyzed consisted of entirely false information deliberately created to manipulate public opinion.
The report, released on July 1, identifies Facebook as the platform most frequently used to spread misleading content through anonymous pages and profiles impersonating legitimate news organizations.
WhatsApp groups also play a significant role in the rapid circulation of messages, videos, and links that are shared without any fact-checking or verification process.
The report notes that the expansion of internet access and social media use has not been matched by improvements in the population's digital literacy. Currently, 7.12 million Mozambicans have internet access, while 4.10 million use social media, creating an environment where both accurate and false information can spread rapidly.
To make disinformation more convincing, perpetrators rely on sensational headlines, manipulated images, forged documents, fabricated quotations, and fraudulent links. These tactics primarily target Mozambicans with limited access to reliable information, unemployed young people, and applicants for financial assistance programs.
In response, MISA Mozambique calls for a coordinated effort involving the government, media organizations, digital platforms, and civil society. Its key recommendations include strengthening professional journalism, establishing effective fact-checking mechanisms, and investing continuously in digital literacy education to reduce the social, political, and economic impacts of disinformation in the country. (MOZANORTE)
.jpg)
0 Comments