[Commlist] New publication announcement - Misinformation Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa

MISINFORMATION POLICY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: FROM LAWS AND REGULATION TO 
MEDIA LITERACY

Peter Cunliffe-Jones, Assane Diagne, Alan Finlay, Sahite Gaye, Wallace 
Gichunge, Chido Onumah, Cornia Pretorius and Anya Schiffrin

Misinformation Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa is a single volume 
containing two research reports by eight authors examining policy 
towards misinformation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The volume first examines the teaching of media literacy in state-run 
schools in seven Sub-Saharan African countries as of mid-2020, as 
relates to misinformation. It explains the limited elements of broad 
media and information literacy (MIL) included in the curricula in the 
seven countries studied and the elements of media literacy related 
specifically to misinformation taught in one province of South Africa 
since January 2020. The authors propose a theory of ‘misinformation 
literacy’ – six fields of specific knowledge and skills required to 
reduce students’ susceptibility to false and misleading claims. 
Identifying obstacles to the introduction and effective teaching of 
misinformation literacy, the authors make five recommendations for the 
promotion of misinformation literacy in schools, to reduce the harm 
misinformation causes.

The second report in the volume examines changes made to laws and 
regulations related to ‘false information’ in eleven countries across 
Sub-Saharan Africa 2016-2020 from Ethiopia to South Africa. By examining 
the terms of such laws against what is known of misinformation types, 
drivers and effects, it assesses the effects of punitive policies and 
those of more positive approaches that provide accountability in 
political debate by promoting access to accurate information and 
corrective speech. In contrast to the effects described for most recent 
regulations relating to misinformation, the report identifies ways in 
which legal and regulatory frameworks can be used to promote a healthier 
information environment.

Contents:

Part One: The State of Media Literacy in Sub-Saharan Africa 2020 and a 
Theory of Misinformation Literacy

Peter Cunliffe-Jones, Sahite Gaye, Wallace Gichunge, Chido Onumah, 
Cornia Pretorius and Anya Schiffrin

Part Two: Bad Law – Legal and Regulatory Responses to Misinformation in 
Sub-Saharan Africa 2016–2020

Peter Cunliffe-Jones, Assane Diagne, Alan Finlay and Anya Schiffrin

E-book, PDF free from www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site/books/

PDF 978-1-914386-05-3

ePub 978-1-914386-06-0

Kindle 978-1-914386-07-7

Published June 2021

https://www.uwestminsterpress.co.uk/site/books/m/10.16997/book53



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