Fact-Checkers’ Perceptions of Their Roles and Challenges in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa

Abstract

Fact-checking is the journalistic activity of tracking and counteracting false and misleading claims. It has gained prominence over the last decade as a response to the overwhelming spread of falsehoods mostly on social media. Meanwhile, while scholarly evidence shows that fact-checkers perceive their roles in very different ways, there is insufficient scholarly attention paid to Sub-Saharan Africa. In view of this argument, this study investigates how fact-checkers in Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa perceive their roles and the challenges they encounter within distinct political and media environments. Theoretically, the study is underpinned by scholarship on journalistic cultures, political and media systems framework. The study adopted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a total of 19 fact-checkers from the four Sub-Saharan African countries. The findings reveal that the roles of fact-checkers in the countries of study are not monolithic but are significantly influenced by the political context, societal norms, and the evolving nature of misinformation. The research lays emphasis on the need for tailored fact-checking strategies that address diverse challenges.