Al Jazeera uncovered a disinformation campaign in West and Central Africa that employs fictional writers to disseminate anti-France narratives. The campaign was spotlighted through the example of Jean Claude Sendeoli, a football referee honored posthumously whose likeness was misappropriated. His fabricated persona pretended to provide geopolitical insights, while actual news publications, grappling with revenue declines, were often unaware of the deception, reflecting broader challenges faced by journalists in the region.
A pro-Russian influence campaign is using fabricated identities of writers like Jean Claude Sendeoli to spread misinformation and anti-France sentiment in Africa.
The investigation revealed that Sendeoli's image was co-opted to create a non-existent geopolitical expert who circulated propaganda articles across numerous African media platforms.
The plight of genuine journalists is exacerbated, as financial hardships force them to consider publishing dubious articles without sufficient editorial scrutiny amidst a challenging media landscape.
Al Jazeera's I-Unit found that the use of fake writers and content is a disturbing trend, complicating the already fragile state of journalism in Africa.
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