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Africans enjoy sharing fake news - Facebook executive says

Facebook's Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, Ms Adaora Ikenze, says Africans enjoy sharing fake news content instead of reporting it for action to be taken.
FILE PHOTO: Stickers bearing the Facebook logo are pictured at Facebook Inc's F8 developers conference in San Jose, California, U.S., April 30, 2019.  REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Stickers bearing the Facebook logo are pictured at Facebook Inc's F8 developers conference in San Jose, California, U.S., April 30, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo

"We have a counter intuitive nature to share things rather than report them. There is a disconnect between a sense of responsibility and sharing of content," she said.

“Africans will see a post that is false and video that is fake but will share it. Do not forward it, report it," she added.

She made the comments at a National Cyber Security Awareness Month panel discussion in Accra.

According to her, reporting false and malicious contents are the only to sanitise the Facebook platform.

She added that reporting irresponsible content was completely anonymous.

“Nobody will know who reported it. You can report anything you see on Facebook. The need to increase reporting of people posting dubious content is very important to sanitise social media platform,” she said.

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