By Arret Jatta
Gambia Participates has launched a three-day Electoral Integrity training course to prepare social media influencers, digital content creators, and young civic leaders to actively safeguard the credibility of the upcoming presidential election.
The training, held from June 15 to 17, focuses on electoral integrity, fact-checking, countering misinformation and disinformation, and promoting peaceful democratic participation through digital platforms. The initiative is designed to ensure that influential online voices strengthen, rather than undermine, the electoral process.
Speaking at the opening, Executive Director Marr Nyang emphasised that protecting electoral integrity is a shared responsibility that extends beyond institutions and political actors to citizens—especially influencers with large digital audiences.
“Free and fair elections are a collective responsibility. Influencers like you have a critical role to play,” Nyang stated.
He issued a clear warning against accepting payment to spread false political narratives. While acknowledging that sponsored content is legitimate, he stressed that deliberately sharing misinformation for financial gain erodes public trust and threatens the integrity of elections.
“You may receive offers to create political content. That is not the issue. The line is crossed when money is used to promote falsehoods,” he said.
Nyang urged participants to rigorously verify information before publishing, clearly disclose sponsored political content, and promptly correct any inaccuracies. He warned that misleading content during elections can have serious consequences and called on influencers to promote peace, accuracy, and informed public discourse.
Participants described the training as both timely and essential.
Fatima Kebbeh, a participant said the programme would strengthen their understanding of electoral laws and reinforce the responsibility that comes with digital influence.
“We must understand the impact of what we share and avoid contributing to harm,” she said.
University of The Gambia Students’ Union President Ismaila Fadera echoed the call for responsible engagement, stressing the importance of verification.
“As influencers, we must engage responsibly. Verifying information is not optional—it is essential,” he said.
