There is plenty of regular misinformation on the Internet, and to make matters worse, we are more exposed to misinformation than ever before due to the acceleration of AI-generated content online. There’s solid evidence that AI-generated content spreads faster nowadays, at an approximately a 70% higher speed than truthful content on social media platforms.
However, there is no fully consistent way to report mis and disinformation. Different countries have different laws and interpretations about what misinformation is, and generally only a tiny bit of it is considered illegal content anyway. In the same vein, the misinformation policies of each of the different platforms (i.e. their Terms & Conditions, Community Guidelines, etc.) are very different and the enforcement platforms make of them can be (and often is) pretty inconsistent.
AI-generated content and deepfakes in particular are, however, a different matter as they often overlap with illegal content types: non-consensual pornographic content, data protection infringements, financial scams, impersonation, child sexual exploitation material and others. For this reason, although AI and deepfake laws are for the most part still in their infancy, countries have been more eager to regulate this type of content.
In this context, we might wonder what to do when we find things online that are untrue. For example, sometimes you might want to reply to a post explaining to the author how they got their facts wrong, or to propose a Community Note (on X) with the information we think is needed for full context. Other times, you might want to report a particular piece of content to the platform hosting it because it is either illegal in your country or against the platform’s own rules on misinformation. You might even want to notify the authorities about a piece of misinformation that is illegal, such as hate crimes or scams. Let’s do a quick roundup of reporting options for both regular and AI-generated misinformation, that the civil society organisations (CSOs) can use. These will depend on the platform you’re using and what country you're using the service in.
Reporting misinformation in the European Union and the United Kingdom
In the EU, all hosting services—including every major platform such as X, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram— have a legal obligation to have mechanisms in place that allow their users to indicate they have seen something they consider illegal. Depending on the country, there are different kinds of misinformation.
Most of the AI-generated content, including deepfakes, are illegal only when they are used to commit particular crimes like fraud, harassment, defamation, or electoral manipulation.
While regulatory frameworks in EU and UK are relatively advanced, several African countries have also established legal and institutional mechanisms for reporting harmful online content, including misinformation, scams, impersonation, and AI-generated fake content.
Reporting misinformation in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa
Reporting mechanisms and legal frameworks differ across African countries. Responses to misinformation often extend through a diverse information ecosystem that includes social media platforms, messaging applications, online news outlets, and community networks. Recent years have seen growing concerns around election-related disinformation, public health misinformation, AI-enabled fraud and impersonation, and manipulated media. In response, governments, regulators, fact-checking organisations, journalists, civil society groups, and digital literacy initiatives have increasingly worked together to help citizens identify, verify, and report harmful content online.
In Nigeria, there is a mandatory Code Of Practice For Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries that says that large platforms must tell their users on its Terms and Conditions not to create or share “false or misleading” information. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is responsible for monitoring its application. It does not provide a particular way for users to file reports about misinformation, but it does have a general online form for complaints. The same code compels platforms to take down any unlawful content “as soon as reasonably practicable” after receiving a report.
Unlawful content online is for the most part governed by the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention,etc) Act 2015. The law establishes a framework applicable to malicious applications of the technology and criminalizes offences such as unlawful access, identity theft, cyberstalking, offensive messages, and publishing obscene content, all offences which can be committed using AI technologies. For instance, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) issued a warning over the increase in AI-generated ads that use public figures' fakes to promote fraudulent goods and services. One can report these crimes and other illegal content to the Nigeria Police Force or the National Cybercrime center on WhatsApp or by calling their Help Line.
The law in Ghana criminalizes the “publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm” and anyone who uses the Internet to “knowingly send a communication which is false or misleading and likely to endanger the safety of any person”. The Cybersecurity Act builds on this and more broadly forbids cyber deception, disinformation, identity theft, and unlawful data manipulation, including production and distribution of false or misleading digital content, like deepfakes. The Cyber Security Authority of the country operates an online incident reporting form through which you can report cyberbullying, fraud, misinformation, online blackmail, online child abuse, online impersonation, and publication of Non-Consensual Intimate Images (NCII).
In Kenya, misinformation that constitutes hate speech can be reported through an online form to the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), that can then refer cases to law enforcement. Misinformation at large is regulated through the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act 2018 which targets “false publications” by prohibiting the making and distribution of content intended to "alarm, distress, or cause fear", and includes another provision against the unauthorized manipulation of data. According to security experts, Kenyan nationals face high rates of deepfake-enabled scams focused on fraudulent investment schemes. These cyber incidents and many others (abusive content, child/sexual/gendered violence, harassment) can be reported through the Computer Incident Report Team’s webpage.
In South Africa, the Electoral Commission and the NGO Moxii Africa created the website Real411.org, in which it is possible to file reports of digital harms including mis- or disinformation. The reports are reviewed by digital experts who make a reasoned decision on what would be the appropriate action to follow. The site operates based on a voluntary Code of Conduct that the major digital platforms have not committed to yet, so the concrete effects of the reporting are unclear.
Illegal content types online are reported like any other crime by going to a police station. One can also give notice of suspicious online content through the Police’s Crime Stop (Tip-off Line) or by logging in a query with the national Cybersecurity Hub. Individuals can also use the reporting form provided by Cybercrime.org.za, an organization committed to the fight against the criminal exploitation of technologies. Additionally, certain forms of illegal online misinformation such as slander and defamation can be reported online to the Film and Publication Board.
Fact checkers in Africa also play an important role in tackling misinformation. You can submit a piece for fact-check through Africa Check, an African-wide fact-checking organization. For Ghana and Nigeria particularly, one can also log in suspicious information through Dubawa.
What should CSOs do when encountering misinformation or AI-generated content?
Verify the content using trusted fact-checking sources
Assess whether the content violates platform policies
Determine whether the content may violate national laws
Preserve evidence through screenshots, links, and timestamps
Report the content to the platform
Where appropriate, report illegal content to relevant national authorities
Avoid amplifying false content when correcting it
Educate communities on how to identify manipulated or AI-generated media