![Sample our Area Studies journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5922/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Area-Studies.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Amid a rise of misinformation worldwide, this paper examines digital misinformation literacy as it relates to COVID-19 news in East Africa. The study is grounded in inoculation theory and contributes to the body of scholarship examining misinformation literacy beyond the Western world. Data came from a comparative, cross-national survey in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda (N = 3,203), making this the largest known empirical investigation into digital misinformation literacy in the region within the context of a pandemic. Paper surveys were distributed throughout all three countries in 2021. The data revealed differences in actual and perceived misinformation literacy levels. Kenyans and Rwandans were better at detecting false COVID-19 statements in the media, whereas Ugandans were better at detecting true messages. Similarly, Kenyans’ and Rwandans’ perceived levels of digital misinformation literacy were higher than Ugandans’. Regarding perceived exposure to COVID-19 information, Kenyans felt they were exposed to fake COVID-19 news online more often than Ugandans, who felt more exposed than Rwandans. This research contributes to the growing literature on digital misinformation literacy, an area which isn’t significantly studied in many world regions, especially in Africa.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 In Kenya, data were collected in 27 counties covering eight regions: Nairobi, Coast, North Eastern, Eastern, Central, Nyanza, Western and Rift Valley. In Rwanda, surveys were administered in all four provinces—North, East, West and South—and the capital city of Kigali. In Uganda, surveys were administered in all five districts: Capital city (Kampala district), Western Uganda (Mbarara district), Central Uganda (Luwero district), Eastern Uganda (Kamuli district), Northern Uganda (Amolator district).