Disinfo Lab

ABOUT

FESOJ Disinformation Lab is Somalia’s first research and resource center established to combat the spread of misinformation, fake news, propaganda and online disinformation campaigns through grassroot research, education, awareness and outreach activities.

Through its membership of local media outlets and journalists, civil society organizations, international partners and experts, FESOJ Disinformation Lab monitors, analyzes and debunks false news, media manipulation, news distortion and hate speech in online media and social media platforms.

MISSION

The main of objective of the Lab is to provide news consumers and producers in Somalia with research insights, tools, skills and standards to navigate and address the mounting challenges of disinformation and media manipulation. The lab will also lead linkages among research, policy and the media fraternity in identifying and applying evidence informed best practices to counter the problems of misinformation and disinformation.

Some of the core activities of the lab include, but not limited to:

• Research: The lab is staffed by journalists who carryout an ongoing research into the sources, vectors and impact of mis/disinformation and media manipulation, building an evidence base for informed action aimed at mitigating the effect of disinformation on the nascent rebuilding and democratization efforts in Somalia.
• Monitoring and Analysis: We identify, track, document, analyze and flag social media and online misinformation and disinformation campaigns.
• Verification and Fact-checking Initiatives: The lab supports the creation of in-house verification and fact-checking capacity and programs run by local media outlets.

Digital and Media Literacy: The lab develops digital and news literacy courses and tools, delivers workshops and awareness session to promote digital media hygiene habits (healthy information ecosystem) among media workers and the Somali public.

TEAM

The Disinformation Lab founding director and lead researcher is Mohamed Abdimalik, a data journalist with experience in digital investigations, media research and open data in the context of Somalia. The Lab is also supported by a select media committee composed of veteran Somali journalists and information experts.

Please feel free to contact us:

• You can email Abdimalik: abdimalik@fesoj.org or follow his work on Twitter @mabdimalik
• To report mis/disinformation, ask for training or internship and any other general enquiries, please email: disinfo@fesoj.org

The research team includes:

• • • Hassan Istiila
    • Fardowsa Sheikh Abdirahman