The Gambia is young. As Ms. Annetta Mahoney rightly noted, close to seven in 10 of us are under 35. This demographic is already driving political conversation online. But being online is not the same as being equipped. Without skills in storytelling, fact-checking, online safety, and responsible advocacy, digital spaces become breeding grounds for rumors, hate, and manipulation.
That risk was captured bluntly by EU Deputy Head Raphael Brigandi: social media can empower, but it can also fuel hate, intimidation, and disinformation. We have seen it in other countries. In an election year, a single false video or voice note can inflame tensions, suppress turnout, or damage reputations beyond repair.
This is where civic education must evolve. Gambia Participates’ focus on “safe, credible, and effective” online campaigns is exactly the shift we need. Teaching young people to create content is important. Teaching them to do it with dignity, accuracy, and respect for others is essential.
Democracy, as Brigandi put it, is not just about having a voice. It is about using that voice responsibly.
The participation of government and international partners like the EU and Spain, also matters. It signals that countering disinformation is not the job of one organization. It requires a whole-of-society approach: government setting the tone for responsible communication, civil society building capacity, and citizens holding themselves accountable.
The challenge now is scale up. 35 trained advocates is a strong start, but The Gambia needs more people trained on this aspect. We need these skills in every region, every community WhatsApp group, and every university campus. We especially need to ensure young women, who remain underrepresented in decision-making, are centered in this digital civic space, as both Spanish and EU representatives emphasized.
As we head to the polls, let us remember that the fight against disinformation will not be won by bans or shutdowns. It will be won by a citizenry that knows how to verify before sharing, how to debate without dehumanizing, and how to use digital tools to inform, not inflame.
Gambia Participates has lit the match. It is now up to all of us - youth, elders, media, and leaders - to make sure that fire spreads.
Because the credibility of our elections and the health of our democracy, may depend on what we post next.