Angola’s “fake news” law reveals a fear of the truth
Angola’s Law No. 6/26 took effect on Aug. 4 with a contradiction. It reproduces passages from Brazil’s proposed “fake news” bill, PL 2630, which remains pending there. The law contains useful measures. It requires platforms to report removals, advertising, and sponsorship, and targets fake accounts, bots, deepfakes, and coordinated campaigns. Angola needs safeguards. The danger begins when transparency gives way to state control, leaving the government with the power to decide what is true. In June, France’s VIGINUM identified 48 Facebook accounts showing signs of inauthenticity, including AI-generated images. Its report said they amplified Angolan government material and posts promoting the ruling MPLA, in power since 1975. Investigators found angola-plan.blackcore.online, which referred to training for the Angolan government. The report also raised a possible link to BlackCore. These indicators demand answers. But VIGINUM could not identify the network’s sponsors, and its findings do not establish that the government commissioned it. […]
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