By Amin Kef (Ranger)
In contemporary Sierra Leone, the Social Media has opened the floodgate of misinformation as the proliferation of audio messages has increased alarmingly to an extent that it has become confusing as to what to believe and what not to.
From incendiary political messages to hate speeches, misinformation is taking a heavy toll on a large percentage of the gullible population, sometimes with dire consequences if urgent steps are not taken to counter deliberate misinformation churned out by certain personalities with hidden agendas.
Misinformation reared its ugly head recently when it was reported by a faceless individual that Sierra Leone’s leading telecommunications operators are “exposing customers’ voice messages and other communication details to the Government”.
Such a claim, made in an audio, could only be described as a “ridiculous, stupid and inciting” audio message circulating on social media which, could be best described as a clear case in point of misinformation.
It must be noted that the author of the voice message circumvented or is totally ignorant , oblivious of what the law says regarding the operations of telecommunications companies and what they are committed to doing for the people of this country.
The author must also be totally ignorant not to realize that the country’s Telecommunications Act which guides the operations of telecommunication companies does not, under any circumstance, allow operators to disclose details or compromise the conversations or messages of their customers.
It would only be nonsensical for subscribers of telecommunication companies to adhere to the wrong advice of the author to drop and stop using their SIM Cards until after the elections because he, (the author of the voice message) believes that mobile telecommunications companies are disclosing conversations and other communication details to the Government.
Such an advice must not be heeded to as it is completely false.
It must be reiterated that legality and best practice do not allow telecommunications companies to compromise or play down the interests of their customers.
In this light, it is therefore advisable for users of SIM cards to continue using their SIMs as the claim not to use them before the General Elections in 2023 is “outrageous, ridiculous and a big lie.”
