The Public Squares Teams
Combating Misinformation in Africa
Combating misinformation in Africa: The power of interdisciplinary research.
Misinformation and disinformation are serious threats to democracy and society. They can undermine trust in institutions, polarize public opinion, and lead to violence. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to address these interrelated issues. Stellenbosch University has a strong capacity in the fields of journalism, engineering, data science, and information science.
This public square will enable transdisciplinary dialogue to shed light on the causes and spread of misinformation. It will also facilitate engagement with policymakers and the public to co-develop effective tools for combatting this threat.
Faculty / School / Department represented:
- Department of Journalism
- Department of Industrial Engineering
- School of Data Science and Computational Thinking
Core Stellenbosch University Team:
- Prof Herman Wasserman
- Assoc. Prof. Jacomine Grobler
- Prof. Kanshukan Rajaratnam
- Aldu Cornelissen (Murmur Intelligence)
- Kyle Findlay (Murmur Intelligence)
- Jean le Roux (Digital Forensics Research Lab)
- Scott Timcke (Research ICT Africa)
- Chris Roper (Code4Africa)
- Carina van Wyk (Africa Check)