Disinformation Surge : Election As Digital Battleground

During the electoral period, there was a significant increase in disinformation activity, characterized by the widespread circulation of misleading, partisan, and hateful content on social media, and to a lesser extent, traditional media. While this phenomenon was also observed during the 2018 presidential election, it took on a new dimension in 2025, driven by a substantial rise in digital connectivity and the complexity of information dissemination channels. According to the ADISI-Cameroon/CFI-Media report published on April 22, 2024, as part of the TalkPaix project, the Internet penetration rate in Cameroon rose from 11% in 2017 to 43.9% in 2024, with an average annual growth of 7.85%. This increase coincided with a rise in misleading information both online and offline.
The report, presented by ADISI Cameroon in partnership with Data Cameroon and Data Check through the PPII (Partnership for Information Integrity), indicated that Cameroon experienced its first truly hyper-connected presidential election. This shift transformed the October 12, 2025 election into a comprehensive “crash test” for information integrity. The presentation on December 10 in Douala highlighted that the election was not only decided in the ballot box but also on screens, with the observed information frenzy being a structural feature rather than mere background noise.
Additionally, the report indicated that connectivity acted as a risk catalyst. The expansion of Cameroon’s digital footprint has increased the public sphere’s vulnerability. While mass access to information democratizes debate, it has simultaneously opened the floodgates to industrial-scale manipulation. The report revealed unprecedented exposure of public opinion to malicious content, amplified by algorithmic virality that current regulatory mechanisms struggle to contain.
The report confirmed the observations of the preliminary...