Cape Verde Launches CV-Fact to Fight Disinformation
Cape Verde has officially entered the global fight against disinformation with the launch of CV-Fact, a dedicated fact-checking center that began operations today. The initiative arrives at a critical moment for the country as it prepares for legislative elections next month.
A Multi-Layered Defense Against Fake News
Coordinated by the Regulatory Authority for Media (ARC), the center utilizes a rigorous verification process. The team consists of seven final-year students from the University of Cape Verde (Uni-CV) and two professional journalists serving as editors. To ensure accuracy, every claim undergoes a “four-eyes” review by two fact-checkers before being sent to an editor. Final approval from the project coordinator is required before any report is published.
Alfredo Pereira, the center’s coordinator and a member of the ARC Regulatory Council, confirmed that the first batch of verified reports is expected to be released early next week. “Officially, we are opening the doors of CV-Fact,” Pereira told Lusa, noting that the team is already working through a pipeline of active cases.
Beyond the Ballot Box
While the center’s launch comes just one month before the May 17 legislative elections, Pereira emphasized that CV-Fact’s mission extends far beyond the political arena.
“We are not avoiding the current reality of the elections, but we want people to understand that CV-Fact is not just for politics,” Pereira said. “We have issues related to health, tourism, and other sectors. Fact-checking is transversal to everything in our society because it is about the integrity and sovereignty of information.”
Combating Deepfakes and AI Threats
The urgency of the project is underscored by recent trends in Cape Verde. In December, the ARC reported a “substantial increase” in the use of artificial intelligence to spread disinformation. This includes “deepfakes” designed to lure citizens into fraudulent financial investments and fabricated news stories falsely attributed to prominent journalists.
How to Access the Service
The CV-Fact initiative is a collaborative effort: the University of Cape Verde provides the physical and technological infrastructure, the Association of Cape Verdean Journalists (AJOC) manages middle-management roles, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provides the international “iVerify” digital platform.
Citizens can report suspicious claims or request verifications through the following channels:
- Website: caboverde.i-verify.org
- WhatsApp: +238 589 66 00
- Social Media: Search for “iverifycvfact” on Facebook and Instagram
Image: Pexels – Anna Shvets
