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Feb
23
2022
By The African Mirror
How young Nigerians’ distrust of political leaders fuels COVID misinformation

How young Nigerians’ distrust of political leaders fuels COVID misinformation

COVID-19
EVER since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global public health emergency in January 2020, there’s been a need for studies that help explain what people understand by public health messages. Author OLUTOBI AKINGBADE, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy (CANRAD), Nelson Mandela University Research into the nuances of communication is especially important when conspiracy theories and misleading rumours about the pandemic are in circulation. Misinformation can be dangerous. Early in the pandemic, it appeared that younger people (in their teens, 20s and 30s) had a low risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 or severe…
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Feb
03
2021
By The African Mirror
New Donald Trump party?

New Donald Trump party?

WORLD
KATIE PAUL FAR-RIGHT backers of Donald Trump are drumming up support on social media for the idea of a "Patriot Party," using references to militia groups and promoting a mix of conspiracy theories, according to a study published yesterday. The online campaign for a proposed alternative to the Republican Party has heavily promoted "Stop the Steal" events throughout the country, including the violent siege of Capitol Hill on January 6, pushing the false claim that the former U.S. President lost November's election due to widespread fraud. Amid a rift with several Republican leaders over the Capitol riot, Trump has talked…
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Jan
08
2021
By The African Mirror
Telecoms towers burnt in S.A by 5G protesters

Telecoms towers burnt in S.A by 5G protesters

NEWS
ABOUT three telecommunications towers belonging to Vodacom and MTN were burnt this week following a resurgence in conspiracy theories which link the emergence of COVID-19 to 5G technology, South Africa's communication minister has said. The towers were burnt and destroyed between Tuesday and Wednesday this week in KwaZulu-Natal province, the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said in a statement and also urged police to arrest those responsible "for this anarchy". "It is regrettable that the much-needed network infrastructure is being destroyed ... mobile telephony is crucial in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic," she said. There was…
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Nov
18
2020
By The African Mirror
Misinformation could prompt people to turn against COVID-19 vaccines – study

Misinformation could prompt people to turn against COVID-19 vaccines – study

COVID-19
KATE KELLAND  CONSPIRACY theories and misinformation fuel mistrust in vaccines and could push levels that potential COVID-19 vaccines are taken in the United States and Britain below the rates needed to protect communities against the disease, a study has found. The study of 8,000 people in the two countries found that fewer people would "definitely" take a COVID-19 vaccine than the 55% of the population scientists estimate is needed to provide so-called "herd immunity". "Vaccines only work if people take them. Misinformation plays into existing anxieties and uncertainty around new (COVID) vaccines, as well as the new platforms that are…
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