Guinea: pro-Condé Facebook pages create confusion before presidential election

Behind the Facebook pages examined, the “communicating volunteers” of the RPG.

RFI / Carol Valade

Text by: RFI Follow

5 mins

The Stanford Internet Observatory, an American research institute on disinformation and abuse on the Internet, looked at around 100 Facebook pages linked to the Rassemblement du peuple de Guinée, the ruling party, or to its supporters.

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According to the

, Facebook pages linked to the RPG or its supporters do

"promote 

 ".

The proliferation of accounts, automation techniques and the use of advertising would create the illusion of " 

 " for the President of the Republic, Alpha Condé.

Behind the hundred or so Facebook pages studied by the American research institute are the “volcom”, the “communicating volunteers” of the ruling party.

“Simple influencers without a contract or salary,” says Souleymane Keïta, deputy of the People's Rally of Guinea.

However, according to several sources, they receive ad hoc support from senior executives or personalities.

Some even went on strike at the start of the year to obtain phones, bonuses or their employment in the public service.

Without success, they say.

Their motivation: to counter the opposition which, according to them, tarnishes the image of the country on social networks.

It is a question of " 

 ", explains one of their leaders, Charles Kolie.

This consists for example of showing luxury hotels rather than shanty towns.

The association of bloggers in Guinea is worried about an “

level 

 ”.

Similar techniques could be used on a smaller scale by the opposition, including the dissemination of fake news.

In 2018, six majority and opposition activists were jailed for "inciting ethnic hatred".

Zoe Huczok, study co-author

Carol Valade

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• Guinea

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