The Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab (DigiAfricaLab) has launched a public education campaign to promote responsible social media use and curb digital threats ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
The campaign, tagged “Recognise. Avoid. Respond.”, was unveiled during the PAACA-DigiAfricaLab Policy Dialogue on Electoral Offences, Peaceful Elections, Responsible Use of Social Media and Consequence Management held in Osogbo.
The dialogue, jointly organised by DigiAfricaLab and the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), brought together representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Police Force, traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations, academia, youth groups, the media and digital content creators.
In her goodwill message, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Osun State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, described the forthcoming governorship election as a critical democratic exercise and urged stakeholders to reject violence and electoral malpractice.
She said, “Peaceful elections require tolerance, mutual respect, civility, dialogue and accountability,” while calling on political actors and voters to shun “violence, misinformation, disinformation, vote buying, voter intimidation and other forms of electoral malpractice.”
Also speaking, the Osun State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Mr. Adebiyi Stephen Adefarasin, urged residents to verify information before sharing it on social media and use digital platforms to promote peaceful and credible democratic participation.
Representing the Commissioner of Police, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to a peaceful and credible election, stressing that “peaceful elections require collaboration among INEC, security agencies, political actors, the media, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, youth groups and citizens.”
Traditional ruler, the Olororuwo of Ororuwo, Oba Qamorudeen Bello Adeyemi Adeyanju, also warned against the dangers of viral misinformation, recounting how false online narratives could damage reputations and threaten community peace.
A major highlight of the event was DigiAfricaLab’s presentation titled “Digital Threats Do Not Stay Online: Responsible Social Media Use and Peaceful Elections in Osun State, Nigeria.” The organisation identified threats such as misinformation, impersonation, online voter intimidation, manipulated content, coordinated disinformation campaigns and premature election result claims as major risks to peaceful elections.
The organisation also introduced its “Recognise. Avoid. Respond.” framework, urging citizens to identify harmful election-related content, avoid spreading unverified information and respond responsibly through verification and safe reporting.
Speaking at the event, DigiAfricaLab Founder and Executive Director, Rosemary Ajayi, said responsible social media use should not be mistaken for censorship.
“Responsible social media use is not silence. Citizens can criticise, question, report, observe and demand accountability. But we must not mislead, intimidate, incite, impersonate or amplify harmful claims that may put people, communities or the electoral process at risk,” she said.
Ajayi warned that online misinformation often translates into real-world consequences.
“Digital threats do not stay online. A single message, image, video, false result claim or impersonation account can create fear, suppress participation, inflame tension or damage trust. Our message is simple: recognise the risk, avoid amplification and respond responsibly,” she added.
The event also featured a practical simulation on responding to false reports of election violence and concluded with the inauguration of the Osun Digital Peace Ambassadors, a non-partisan network established to promote responsible social media use and peaceful election messaging ahead of the governorship poll.
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