The Conversation
11 Sep 2019, 20:07 GMT+10
WhatsApp is one of the world's most popular social media platforms. The messaging app is encrypted so it's safer to share messages there than on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. It also notorious for the spread of fake news. But it's also used for good. In the run-up to Nigeria's 2019 election, for instance, the platform was used to spread fake news - but it was also used for campaigning and communicating with potential voters.
In this episode of Pasha Nic Cheeseman, a professor of democracy at the University of Birmingham, explores WhatsApp and its role in Nigeria's elections. He also discusses how governments should embrace technologies like WhatsApp, promoting digital literacy so people can be more discerning readers.
Read more: WhatsApp played a big role in the Nigerian election. Not all of it was bad
Photo: Photo by Gregade A man casting his vote at a polling unit in Idiko-Ile during the 23rd February, 2019 Presidential Election in Nigeria. Shutterstock
Music "Happy African Village" by John Bartmann found on FreeMusicArchive.org licensed under CC0 1.
Authors: Ozayr Patel - Digital Editor | Nic Cheeseman - Professor of Democracy, University of Birmingham
Get a daily dose of Beijing Bulletin news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Beijing Bulletin.
More InformationSAN FRANCISCO, California: Texas is set to become the first major U.S. state to require Apple and Google to verify the age of users...
BEIJING/TAIPEI: Facing mounting U.S. export restrictions, Nvidia is preparing to launch a new, lower-cost artificial intelligence chip...
New Delhi [India], May 31 (ANI): Union Minister for Department of Space, Jitendra Singh announced on Saturday that Shubhanshu Shukla,...
The tech billionaire joked that he was not anywhere near France Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk raised a lot of eyebrows when he appeared...
HT Syndication Pune (Maharashtra) [India], May 31: Personal loans of up to Rs55 Lakhs are available on Bajaj Markets, a leading digital...
US President Donald Trumps adviser has reportedly been consuming copious amounts of ketamine and other substances Tech billionaire...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Rising mortgage rates and economic uncertainty are leaving many Americans unsure about whether to buy a home—just...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Texas is set to become the first major U.S. state to require Apple and Google to verify the age of users...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: After months of steady decline, U.S. consumer confidence saw a significant rebound in May—buoyed in part by a temporary...
NEW YORK, New York - Uncertainty over trade tariffs kept invetsors and tradersv at bay on Friday with the major indices finishing mixed....
NEW YORK CITY, New York: As trade policy uncertainty rattles markets and slashes valuations, a growing number of U.S. retailers are...
FRANKFURT, Germany: Volvo Cars, based in Sweden, is cutting 3,000 jobs to reduce costs as the automobile industry struggles with trade...