BBC targeted by fake news on Kenyan elections
BBC says a fake video has been circulating on social media and made to look as if it was produced by its Focus on Africa programme. PHOTO | COURTESY | BBC
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has warned of a fake video on Kenya’s election being circulated on social media purported to be from its Focus on Africa programme.
BBC on its website stated that the video shows a fake poll indicating that President Uhuru Kenyatta will win the August 8 General Election.
The broadcaster urged Kenyans to verify stories by visiting the BBC website.
“The origin of the fake BBC news story is not clear but it began to be shared on WhatsApp on Friday morning,” the broadcaster said.
A recent survey by Geo Poll showed that 90 per cent of Kenyans had seen or heard false news in the run-up to the elections.
Many of the people surveyed felt that some news items had been deliberately misleading.
It also found that while traditional media remained the most trusted source of information, large numbers of people got their news from Facebook and WhatsApp.
President Kenyatta is seeking re-election in the August 8 elections. There are seven other presidential candidates, including National Super Alliance flag bearer Raila Odinga.
