With South Africa’s 2024 Local Government Elections set for November 4, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has issued a stark warning to voters: think carefully before sharing any election-related content online. The commission cautioned that the period leading up to the polls is already being targeted by a wave of disinformation, including fake voting information, AI-generated manipulation, impersonation accounts and coordinated bot networks. To address this threat, the IEC has introduced an Electoral Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation, which binds all political parties and independent candidates contesting the election. The code outlines clear rules on what may and may not be done when disseminating false or misleading information across both online and offline platforms. It applies from now until the day the election results are formally declared. The commission has also announced that parties and candidates will be expected to formally commit to the code during a signing ceremony scheduled for September 23. This is a proactive measure to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and to hold political actors accountable for their communications during the election cycle.
The IEC was careful to distinguish between different types of false information, as not all misleading content is treated the same way. Disinformation, the commission said, refers to false or misleading information that is deliberately shared by someone who knows it is untrue, or who has no reasonable basis for believing it to be true, with the specific intention of misleading voters or disrupting the electoral process. This could include false claims targeting the electoral process, contesting parties and candidates, or the Electoral Commission itself and its staff. On the other hand, misinformation is false information shared without an intention to deceive, often because the person sharing it has not taken the time to verify its accuracy. The IEC also clarified that satire, opinion pieces, fair criticism and genuine political debate do not constitute disinformation. This distinction is crucial because it means the code targets deliberate manipulation rather than unintentional mistakes, while still encouraging all voters to be more mindful about what they share on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, X and TikTok.
With the election now fast approaching, the IEC has highlighted several specific types of content that voters should be wary of. These include false claims about voting dates, voting hours, polling station locations, and who is eligible to vote. Voters are also being warned about fake statements or announcements falsely attributed to the IEC or its officials, as well as scams impersonating the electoral body, such as fraudulent job advertisements designed to steal personal information. Another growing concern is the use of manipulated or fully AI-generated images, audio and video to deceive the public. These “deepfakes” and synthetic media clips are becoming increasingly realistic and difficult to identify. The commission also flagged the use of fake social media accounts and bot networks engineered to artificially boost the popularity of a particular view or candidate, creating a false impression of momentum. In addition, doxxing—the malicious sharing of someone’s private information without consent to cause harm—has been identified as a form of harmful content covered by the code. Political advertisements and AI-generated content that are not clearly labelled are also subject to the code’s provisions, ensuring that voters know exactly when they are engaging with paid or synthetic material.
Given the pervasive nature of online falsehoods, the IEC has offered practical guidance on how voters can verify whether the information they receive is legitimate. The first step is to check the source of the information and compare it with the official IEC channels and other credible media outlets. If a post is designed to provoke an emotional reaction—for example anger, fear or anxiety—voters are encouraged to pause before hitting share and investigate the claim more carefully. Another useful technique is to search for the claim across multiple credible news sources to see if it is being reported anywhere else. For suspicious images, a reverse-image search can reveal where a photograph originally appeared and whether it is being used out of context. Voters should also scrutinise the account that posted the material. A newly created account, sparse posting history, or a username that closely resembles an official account can be warning signs of a fake or impersonating profile. When it comes to AI-generated content, the IEC says voters should look closely for visual glitches such as unnatural facial movements, mismatched lighting, unusually shaped hands, blurred edges or inconsistent backgrounds. Under the Disinformation Code, synthetic AI-generated content distributed by political parties and candidates must be clearly labelled before publication, and political advertisements must be identifiably marked as such.
To strengthen enforcement, the IEC is relying on the Real411 platform, a complaints mechanism administered by Moxii Africa that can independently investigate allegations of election-related disinformation. Members of the public can report suspected disinformation through the platform, and complaints can be submitted in all 11 official languages. However, complainants must provide their full name and contact details; anonymous submissions are not accepted. The identity of the complainant is kept confidential, but a link or screenshot of the disputed content and a brief explanation of the complaint are required. Political parties and candidates are expected to report online disinformation to Real411 within 36 hours and to publicly correct false or misleading information they may have shared. Once a complaint is lodged, the IEC reviews the findings and may take various actions, including flagging the content as disinformation on its own social media channels, issuing an official correction, or referring the matter to the Electoral Court if the code has been breached. Outcomes are published once a decision has been reached, and anyone dissatisfied with a Real411 ruling can appeal through its Appeals Committee via the Secretariat.
The penalties for breaching the Electoral Code are severe and should serve as a strong deterrent. The Electoral Court has the power to impose sanctions ranging from a formal warning to a fine of up to R200,000, or forfeiture of the electoral deposit. Additional penalties can include restrictions on political activities and advertising, exclusion from a voting station, a reduction in the number of votes cast in favour of a party or candidate, disqualification of a candidate’s election, and even cancellation of a party’s registration. The IEC hopes that the combination of public vigilance, independent oversight, and robust enforcement will keep disinformation from distorting the will of the electorate. Voters, the commission stressed, also have a critical role to play. By not sharing suspicious content and by forwarding verified corrections to people who may have seen the original claim, ordinary South Africans can help stop disinformation from spreading. In a digital age where falsehoods travel faster than the truth, the IEC’s message is clear: verify, pause, and think twice before you share—because a healthy democracy depends on an informed electorate, not a deceived one.
