This week, Inform Africa published a significant report titled “Assessing the Impact of Disinformation on Current Ethiopian Macro Economic Reform: A Social Media Analysis.” The report, available on Inform Africa’s website, utilizes advanced AI tools and the DISARM Framework, a comprehensive analytical tool designed to identify and categorize disinformation strategies and their impacts on public discourse and opinion to analyze data from major social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. It examines how disinformation influences public opinion about Ethiopia’s economic reforms.
The study highlights the role of manipulated information in shaping discussions surrounding the economic reforms initiated under Ethiopia’s Home-Grown Economic Reform Program (HGER 2.0), which began on June 29, 2024. These reforms, aimed at addressing inflation and structural inefficiencies, have been significantly affected by disinformation.
The report’s findings reveal a polarized social media environment where misinformation campaigns deeply influence public perspectives. Applying AI and the DISARM Framework has provided a detailed view of how disinformation shapes local and international perceptions.
Inform Africa recommends more potent digital literacy and comprehensive social media monitoring to ensure a well-informed public discourse. The report underscores the importance of strategic communication and counter-disinformation measures to ensure discussions about economic reforms are based on factual information.
The report is essential for policymakers, media professionals, and the general public. It aims to foster an accurate and constructive dialogue about Ethiopia’s economic policies. This significant study by Inform Africa is part of its ongoing effort to enhance media integrity, policy understanding, and experimentation on AI technologies and datalab.
For further details, read the full report here.