Sierra Leone launches national campaign to combat AI deepfakes

Sierra Leone has launched a nationwide campaign to help citizens identify and respond to AI-generated deepfakes and other forms of deceptive digital content, with the government urging the public to verify information before sharing it.

The National AI and Deepfake Awareness Campaign was launched at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown as part of a two-phase programme covering all 16 districts. The initiative is led by the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) in partnership with the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, with support from the World Bank through the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project (SLDTP).

The first phase has already taken the campaign into communities through regional workshops, radio and television programmes, particularly targeting people with limited or no internet access.

The second phase will provide citizens with practical tools to verify digital content themselves. These will include a WhatsApp verification service, a low-bandwidth companion application and mechanisms for reporting harmful content to the appropriate authorities.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Salima Monorma Bah, the Ministry’s Chief Director, Mohamed Mumini Jalloh, said artificial intelligence could improve healthcare and public services, support small businesses and expand access to services in local languages.

He cautioned, however, that fake voice messages requesting mobile money and manipulated videos involving public figures are already circulating, creating challenges for journalists verifying information and exposing citizens to fraud.

Jalloh said the campaign was not intended to restrict free speech but to protect trust in information and help citizens critically assess what they encounter online. He added that the government would work with the police, telecommunications companies, social media platforms and the media, while ensuring that women, young people, persons with disabilities and rural communities are included.

“Artificial intelligence is neither to be feared nor embraced without caution. It is powerful, and the responsibility for making sure everyone benefits from it safely belongs to all of us,” Jalloh said.

Kumba Liliana Musa, Coordinator of the SLDTP, said the central message of the campaign was simple: “The most important part of this campaign is one thing, verify first before you .”

In his keynote address, Minister of Information and Civic Education, Hon. Chernor Bah, also drew attention to the importance of protecting personal data. He urged citizens to carefully consider the permissions they grant to applications, particularly when it comes to access to their location.

A high-level panel moderated by Sierra Leone Association of Journalists President Alhaji Manika Kamara also examined the changing nature of misinformation. Panellists agreed that misinformation is not new, but the rapid development of AI has made false content faster to produce and increasingly difficult to detect.

The government said the campaign is intended to strengthen public awareness and digital resilience as AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday communication and public life, reinforcing the message that citizens must become more critical and informed the content they see and hear online.

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