The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) CEO Mr David Omwoyo has underscored the importance of implementing guidelines and principles for the use of digital and social media in elections in Africa.
Mr Omwoyo emphasised that the guidelines and principles will be key during elections, noting the challenges emanating from social media during elections.
“It is imperative that African countries implement the guidelines and principles to ensure ethical use of social media platforms during elections. Digital platforms are the haven of fake news and hate speech during elections and therefore it’s time to rein in and ensure professional use of the platforms”, said Mr Omwoyo during the validation workshop for the principles and guidelines for the use of social media in elections in Africa taking place at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mr Omwoyo reiterated the importance of the guidelines and principles noting that they will aid in differentiating mainstream media from social media platforms.
“Most mainstream media houses have editorial policies in place that guide the journalist’s work. The same cannot be said for social media platforms. Having the guidelines in place will help to tackle the adverse effects brought about by digital platforms”, he said.
He called for collaboration among electoral management bodies in pushing for the implementation of the guidelines and principles by adopting mechanisms favorable to election management.
He suggested that Kenya develop guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence, digital and social media by journalists and media organisations.