Facebook spends $16b on tech, others for 2023 polls

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, said since 2016, it has quadrupled the size of its global teams working on safety and security to about 40,000 people and has invested more than $16 billion in teams and technology ahead of Nigeria’s elections.

Speaking on the steps it is taking to protect the integrity of the elections, it said it is also combating the spread of misinformation and making political advertising more transparent.

Its Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, Adaora Ikenze, who spoke during a media forum, said the steps also include over 15,000 content reviewers, who are located across the globe, in every major time zone. Collectively, these reviewers are able to review content in more than 70 languages- including Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa.

This work, she said, will continue in the lead up to, during, and after voting and builds on Meta’s experience and learnings from supporting elections across sub-Saharan Africa and globally.

Adaora said: “We know we have an important responsibility when it comes to helping keep people safe during the elections. Using lessons from the past including input from experts and policymakers across the national spectrum; we’ve made substantial investments in people and technology to reduce misinformation, remove harmful content on our platforms, fight voter interference and promote civic engagement during the elections. We continue to work closely with election authorities and local partners in Nigeria to ensure we’re preparing for the specific challenges in Nigeria and taking appropriate steps to stay ahead of emerging threats.”

(Nation)