Behind the scenes of the campaign shoot with the Advance Youth Radio team
South Sudan is facing rising political tensions following the prosecution of former First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, who is currently on trial in the capital city Juba for war crimes. The charges relate to a militia attack in March 2025, reportedly linked to him, that resulted in the deaths of about 250 government soldiers, including a general. Since his arrest, tensions have escalated nationwide, with opposition forces warning that the country risks sliding back into full-scale civil war if the situation is not addressed.
In response, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) convened a committee of journalists and civil society activists to proactively monitor the digital space, which is often misused to amplify misinformation and hate speech. Monitoring conducted between July and August 2025 revealed a sharp rise in polarized and harmful online content tied to ongoing political tensions.
The committee analyzed more than 50 pieces of harmful content. Misinformation accounted for 31.4%, hate speech for 29.4%, and disinformation for 27.5%, with other harmful material making up 11.8%. Facebook was the main platform (86.3%), with text-based posts dominating (58.8%). Most of the content was politically motivated (52.9%), originating largely from opposition supporters (44%), influencers and alternative media outlets. More than 62% of the flagged posts were deemed highly likely to incite offline harm such as violence or social division.
This surge occurred during a period of intense instability marked by government reshuffles, ethnic conflict, economic decline and sporadic violence. These factors have fueled propaganda, disinformation and hate narratives, exacerbated by weak information infrastructure, low digital literacy and a lack of timely, credible official communication.
Ongoing armed conflict, already costing lives, property, and livelihoods, has created fertile ground for the rapid spread of misinformation and hate speech. Political actors, both within South Sudan and in the diaspora, use social media to advance divisive narratives, threatening social cohesion, peacebuilding and individual well-being. Harmful narratives exploit existing grievances, deepen prejudice and erode trust in communities and institutions. Traditional media struggle to keep pace with the speed and reach of these online campaigns, making proactive, innovative responses essential.
To counter this, JHR, in partnership with Digital Rights Frontline (DRF) and youth-led collectives Ana Taban and Advance Youth Radio, launched a campaign titled “Kefaya Misinformation” (Enough Misinformation). The campaign promotes a more resilient information ecosystem that supports peacebuilding and democratic processes.
As part of the initiative, JHR worked with partners to produce six videos in English and Arabic, reaching broader audiences across linguistic and cultural lines. The videos highlight the dangers of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, while promoting peace, accountability, human rights and media literacy.
The content is distributed through a multi-platform media strategy, including the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) and digital platforms managed by JHR, DRF, King Media, Ana Taban, and Hot in Juba, the country’s most-followed blog. Social media influencers and local designers have also joined the effort to amplify the campaign’s messages nationwide.
Beyond awareness, the videos are being used as educational tools in community forums and workshops. They support journalist training in fact-checking and conflict-sensitive reporting, and help community members strengthen their media literacy skills. This community-driven approach ensures the campaign goes beyond messaging to build resilience against manipulation and harmful narratives.
So far, the videos have garnered over 8 million views on Facebook, sparking public discussion and engagement across the country. Running throughout October 2025, the campaign comes at a pivotal time for South Sudan. Empowering citizens to identify, question and reject false narratives could make the difference between escalating conflict and a path toward lasting peace. View all the videos here.
Tackling Misinformation and Hate Speech to Promote Peace in South Sudan is funded by Global Affairs Canada through the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPS). The project empowers communities with accurate information, fosters constructive dialogue to prevent violent conflict and strengthens peaceful coexistence across South Sudan.
