Ahead of October election: ST Digital trains journalists to fight deepfakes.

The training, held September 25, brought together nearly 20 journalists. It was organised in Douala. The workshop focused on practical ways of detecting deepfakes and combating disinformation with AI tools. 

The training combined theoretical lessons, technical demonstrations and hands-on exercises designed to equip journalists with tools to verify suspicious content and strengthen the credibility of electoral coverage.

Participants were first introduced to the phenomenon of deepfakes—AI-generated videos, images or audio capable of imitating the voice and face of public figures with striking realism. 

Trainers shared examples such as a fabricated conversation between French President, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump, and a false video claiming Cameroonian singer " Mr. Leo", had been cured of diabetes by a drug developed by Prof Emmanuel Pondi.

“These are the kinds of videos that can easily mislead the public and discredit journalists who share them without verification,” explained trainer and digital expert Beaugas Orain Djoyum. 

He highlighted several methods of detection, including spotting visual inconsistencies like irregular eye blinks or blurred backgrounds, audio anomalies such as flat intonation, and analyzing file metadata.

Hands-on tools for detection

The second part of the workshop was devoted to practical testing of digital tools. 

Journalists explored 'Whispeak' for detecting cloned voices, 'Deepware' for scanning and verifying video authenticity, and ' Resemble AI' for identifying manipulated audio. For images, 'Attestiv' and 'WasItAI' were introduced as solutions for distinguishing genuine photos from AI-generated ones. 

The training also analysed viral content, including a fabricated photo allegedly showing a senior Cameroonian official kneeling before President Paul Biya. 

“We notice that hardly a day passes without a manipulated image or fake video circulating on social media. It was essential to give journalists concrete tools to protect the public against disinformation,” Djoyum added.

“Today, journalists leave with practical solutions. They now know how to verify suspicious photos, audios or videos—knowledge that is indispensable in this election season,” he continued.

For ST Digital's management, the initiative is part of a broader mission to drive digital transformation in Cameroon. Going by the Chief Executive office, Anthony Same, their role is to strengthen the digital ecosystem. 

“For it to grow, companies, public administrations and the media must all be at the same level of understanding of digital tools. This is why we prioritize training" Same told participants. 

By placing journalists at the centre of the effort, ST Digital said it hopes to contribute to more responsible and credible electoral reporting at a time when manipulated information can influence public opinion and undermine the credibility of the ballot. Participants on their part lauded the effort as timely. 

“We saw firsthand how to uncover manipulated photos and videos. These tools will help us resist the pressure of the buzz and publish credible information,” said Annie Payep-Nlepe, journalist and publisher of Télé’Asu.

For another, Marie Gabrielle Mfegue, the angle to stress on is the importance of accuracy.

“It is better to take time to verify than to relay a fake news item within an hour. Speed should never come before truth,” she said.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3586 of Monday October 06, 2025