07 March 2021, Daily Maverick, Thandi Smith and William Bird
Through Real411, Media Monitoring Africa has been tracking disinformation trends on digital platforms since the end of March 2020. Using the Real411 platform we have analysed disinformation trends that have largely focused on Covid-19. To date, just more than 1,300 complaints have been submitted to the platform since March 2020, with relevant action being taken where necessary.
As we begin reflecting on disinformation trends over the past year, one of the earliest pieces of disinformation assessed by the Real411 team (ID 31) purported to show police removing people from a beach in Cape Town.