October poll: Experts unveil fact-checking toolbox to counter disinformation.

The organisation, in partnership with the Association for Integrated Development and Interactive Solidarity, ADISI-Cameroun, launched the application in Yaounde on Monday, September 1. 

This was during a common meal to present a pre-report on the rising tide of disinformation and hate speech threatening the country’s democratic process. 

An official of DataCameroon Sarl, Michele Ebongue, welcomed participants at the ceremony on behalf of the, Paul-Joel Kamtchang who sits atop the organisation. Ebongue used the event to stress the significance of My DataCheck. 

“Its unique purpose is to democratize the verification of information during this electoral period. Progressively, other themes will be addressed. By the end of 2026, we plan to have a database of more than 1,600 verified facts,” she said. 

Ebongue said the organisation has since January 2025 “been monitoring social networks, following accounts and pages, as well as certain media spaces that have become cult rendezvous where political ideologies clash”.

“This plunges citizens into permanent doubt, with narratives that tend to discredit institutions, candidates, and political parties,” she noted.

Presenting the software to the audience, IT Specialist, Gilles Keumeni, said unlike previous fragmented approaches to the fight against disinformation, MyDataCheck introduces a holistic method that integrates technological innovation, data-driven insights, and community participation.

“It’s a toolbox for journalists, researchers, policymakers, and civil society organizations to distinguish between facts and manipulations, especially during this sensitive electoral period,” Keumeni revealed.

On his part, sociologist and senior researcher, Dr Roméo Saa Ngouana, presented the key highlights of the pre-report. He outlined the patterns of online narratives already gaining traction ahead of the poll. 

Dr Saa Ngouana said many of these narratives exploit ethnic divides, delegitimize electoral institutions, and spread conspiracy theories about foreign influence.

“The study shows that electoral disinformation in Cameroon is structured, multifaceted, and constantly evolving. It combines factual, narrative, and emotional manipulations, exploiting identity fractures, distrust of institutions, and the viral nature of social media. Driven by ideological, opportunistic, or partisan actors, disinformation seeks to influence opinion, delegitimize opponents, and weaken trust in democracy,” the researcher noted. 

As per the seasoned academic, the greatest risk is post-electoral violence fuelled by tribal divisions. He said disinformation deepens social and ethnic fractures, feeding fears of exclusion and domination. This, he added, can spark crises, as was the case after the 2018 elections.

“Reports such as the International Crisis Group’s August 2025 alert highlight these risks. Growing distrust in electoral institutions may further delegitimize results, a concern echoed in Archbishop Samuel Kleda’s August 2025 pastoral letter,” Dr Saa Ngouana said.

He further noted that his findings reveal that the lives of citizens can be improved if authorities prioritize media and information literacy in public policy, support research on disinformation mechanisms, promote tools enabling users to detect and fight disinformation and establish systems to evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3553 of Wednesday September 03, 2025