Projects
Defending our Democracy 2021 Project
The objective of the Democracy 2021 project is to support democratic processes, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Constitution throughout 2021 in the build up to, and aftermath of, the local elections that will be held in November 2021.
Covid 19 Project
Our Covid-19 work began with daily reporting on Covid-19 related dis and misinformation in 2020. Through 2020, we identified and reported on 4 distinct waves of Covid-19 related dis/misinformation.
Late in 2020, we detected a global assault on vaccines – both generally and on the nascent Covid-19 vaccines in particular. Through 2021, this has grown to encompass a range of views, from scepticism and hostility through to vaccine hesitancy. Our Covid-19 work now focuses exclusively on Covid-19 vaccine inertia, and seeks to help governments generate demand for Covid-19 vaccinations.
Digital Narrative Manipulation Overview
The Digital Narrative Manipulation (DNM) project aims to undermine and render ineffective these ‘fake news’ manipulated narratives and misinformation/disinformation campaigns deployed in South Africa through a unique three phase approach.
CareZA
CareZA was created by the CABC to provide South Africans, and all who live in South Africa, with a non-partisan platform where they can access all the latest, fact checked news and information on all topical issues affecting our society, from Covid-19 to xenophobia, gender-based violence, corruption, environment and more.
Archived Reports
The CABC tracked online conversations when South Africa went into lockdown (as a result of Covid-19) to find the emerging social trends – including the issues that divide us, that garnered solidarity and the issues to be brought to the attention of others.
A daily report was published to capture these sentiments called the “24-hr Trend Report”. It tracked issues like gender based violence, alcohol consumption, food security, how townships experienced social distancing, corruption and the general reaction to ever changing regulations.
The ebb and flow on how South Africa experienced Covid-19 can be found here in the 24-hr Trend Reports:
Countering Misogyny – the Hecareza Project
The overarching objective for this project is to counter misogyny and gender-based violence on a large scale by using a unique blend of advanced social media analytics, platforms, research, media attention, support, psychology, engagement, dialogue and partnerships to counter the issue.
Digital Narrative Manipulation: Xenophobia Network Investigations
Using a three phase approach we aim to undermine and render ineffective these xenophobic and anti-foreigner narratives that have cropped up online.
Weekly Social Cohesion Report
The Analysis of social media conversations support CABC projects to conduct their work. Current projects include countering xenophobia, digital narrative manipulation and countering misogyny
24 Hour Trend Report “The Daily Dose”
With the world suddenly plunged into the grip of a pandemic and the fertile ground that this created online for the spread of misinformation that could lead to serious social consequences, the CABC’s team of data analysts used various tools to track conversations daily on social media, and analyse the rich and useful data to monitor if there was any polarising, divisive rhetoric and narratives that could threaten our society and the response to the pandemic in South Africa.