Technologies to combat disinformation in Angola

Tecnologias de combate à desinformação em Angola

Abstract

This article addresses pioneering technologies in the fight against disinformation in Angola, focusing on the analysis of the Manifexto project and the Nuxo application, developed as local solutions for identifying and countering false and misleading content. The main objective is to analyze the creation, implementation, and discontinuation of these initiatives, seeking to understand the factors that influenced their trajectory, from conception to the interruption of their activities. A qualitative approach was adopted, based on narrative interviews conducted with the project’s creators and developers, in addition to documentary analysis. The analysis was organized into five central themes: (1) From idea to prototype, which addresses operational challenges and the technical development of Manifexto and Nuxo; (2) Training Nuxo, centered on the technical aspects of the machine learning model and labeling strategies; (3) Nuxo’s usability; (4) Launch and discontinuation of the initiatives, which brings together the internal and external factors that led to the interruption of the initiatives; and (5) The future of Manifexto and Nuxo, focused on the perspectives of the creators. The research identified technical, political, and operational barriers, including resource limitations, lack of support from the local media, the Angolan political-historical context, and the population’s low digital literacy.