Northern Cape police have issued a warning following the circulation of an old SABC News video clip on the 2020 coverage of a protest against undocumented foreigners in Upington.
Police say the video, along with another news video clip, is currently being used to spread a false narrative about attacks on foreign nationals and their businesses in the province.
Police say those circulating the videos are deliberately trying to influence public sentiment and mobilise support for the planned 30 June marches by the March and March Movement, calling on undocumented persons to leave the country.
Digital expert Arthur Goldstuck says, “Social media platforms have a tremendous responsibility in ensuring that fake content or content out of context is not used to inflame emotions and tensions. One of the biggest misconceptions about misinformation is that it has to be fake. In reality, some of the most effective misinformation consists of authentic content but presented in a fake context. So an old video recirculated as if it’s reflecting what’s currently happening can be as misleading, if not more so, than a deep fake.”
VIDEO | Police warning over misleading protest videos:
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