Facebook has revealed that it is going to fight Fake News on its platform using Yoruba and Igbo languages.
In a statement on Wednesday in Lagos, Facebook’s Head of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye, stated that the two languages will be in addition to Hausa language that has long being supported by the platform.
According to Boakye, the platform is working with Africa Check to added other African Languages as part of its Third-Party Fact-Checking programme.
According to him, the addition will help the users of the platform to assess the accuracy of news on Facebook and reduce the spread of misinformation.
”Facebook has partnered with Africa Check, Africa’s first independent fact-checking organisation, to expand its local language coverage across Nigeria (Yoruba and Igbo), adding to Hausa which was already supported.
”We have also expanded our local language coverage across Kenya (Swahili), Senegal (Wolof), as well as South Africa (Afrikaans, Zulu, Setswana, Sotho, Northern Sotho and Southern Ndebele).
”We continue to make significant investments in our efforts to fight the spread of false news on our platform, whilst building supportive, safe, informed and inclusive communities.
”Our third-party fact-checking programme is just one of many ways we are doing this, and with the expansion of local language coverage, this will help in further improving the quality of information people see on Facebook.
”We know there is still more to do, and we are committed to this,” Boakye said.
Noko Makgato, the Executive Director, Africa Check, expressed the excitement of his organisation to be working on other languages in respect to Facebook’s third-party fact-checking programme.
”Not only does it let us fact-check more content on Facebook, but it also means we will be reaching more people across Africa with verified, credible information,” he said.
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