We are, on a continuous basis, fed fake news, propaganda, false and misleading narratives. You do well to maintain a healthy skepticism, and to fact-check as much as possible, just to make sense of what is going on.
Politicians create, and Kenyans fall for, propaganda for many reasons. In the main though, it is because of tribalism, confirmation bias, fear and survival. Humans naturally prefer their own group and distrust outsiders, as a safety mechanism. Every parent cautions their children against strangers.
People easily believe false information if it matches what they already think. That is why the stereotypes we have for each other in our tribes are so easily exploited to create fear.
In turn, fear makes people accept simple, strong messages that promise safety or blame others.
Today, never mind actual economic conditions and prospects for growth, people’s income struggles are blamed on other tribes, or traitors in our own! And heaven forbid if the other tribe takes power, ‘for you are finished’, our tribal chieftains proclaim to much applause.
All this is amplified by social media, whose algorithms supercharge lies and propaganda by directly exploiting tribalism, confirmation bias, and fear to maximise user engagement. Social media has become a favourite for politicians. Instead of showing an objective view of the world, digital platforms function as invisible mirrors that reflect and amplify human psychological vulnerabilities.
Algorithms prioritise content that sparks high interactions – likes, comments, shares- rather than accuracy. This engagement-based ranking feeds on, and thrives by tribalism. Platforms actively boost information that is prestigious, ingroup, moral, and emotional to increase engagement.
Users are grouped into homogeneous online communities. These echo chambers create polarisation, because seeing only one side deepens the ‘us versus them’ mentality. Algorithms track exactly which messages you pause on, click, or argue with. The system filters out opposing viewpoints to keep you comfortable and online.
Constant repetition of the echo chamber makes biased or false information feel like universal truth, distorting reality. And because content is seamlessly mixed into personalised feeds, it bypasses, normal fact-checking instincts.
Social media monetises fear and outrage. The creators know that fear and anger trigger the fastest, most intense human reactions. The algorithms are created with this in mind.
Real footage can be modified, by adding siren sounds or screams, to force psychological fixation.
Politicians create a sense of crisis, because they know that fear drives people to seek quick answers, making them highly susceptible to simple, malicious lies. The social media platforms profit from clicks, effectively turning panic, anxiety and outrage, into financial gain.
In the Mt. Kenya’s tribal politics, I am now the target of a regular dose of untruths, defamation and outright lies about myself, my role in tax administration, who I am, and what I stand for.
One outlandish untruth being peddled by a prominent politician is that I am somehow punishing Kikuyus through taxation. Laughable, but sadly calculated to dissuade citizens from taking advantage of the on-going tax amnesty, and diminish tax morale. The tax amnesty is, of course, for all taxpayers. Singling out a particular community to persuade them that it is a bad thing is incredibly mean and reckless of politicians.
Tax morale depends, in part, on the trust that citizens have in the tax administration authority. Citizens want fairness, respectful service and clear information. So, morale drops if the tax rules seem to favour some people.
Tax agencies that are helpful service providers rather than harsh enforcers build higher compliance and trust. Simple rules and clear education on how taxes work make people feel more confident to pay. The Kenya Revenue Authority constantly works to improve all three.
What can one do? There are several digital truth and fact-checking platforms that can help debunk misinformation, verify political claims, and flag online hate speech. I found a few online after a brief search – PesaCheck, Africa Check (Kenya Bureau), Piga Firimbi, and Hakikisha.
Images are sometimes manipulated or taken out of context to spread false narratives. You can Reverse Image Search to verify the origin of an image and determine if it has been misused. Pasting its URL can reveal where and when it was first published, helping to expose fake visuals.
In 2022, the Media Council ran iVerify Kenya Desk, leveraging automated tools and training media desks to track down hate speech and election-related propaganda. They will do well to bring it back.