Rise Networks, a Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Company, on Friday in Abuja, launched the “Run-Am” mobile app to verify fake news and combat the spread of misinformation during the electioneering period.

Mrs Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, Founder, Rise Networks, said the platform, which can be accessed on Google Play Store, is a tool that will ensure efficiency and accountability of information during the 2023 elections and beyond.

She said that the project had the support of the MacArthur Foundation and the Center for Information, Technology and Development (CITAD).

According to her, the app has the news verification feature, image verification feature and voter-education feature to check misinformation that may cause violence during elections.

“During elections, fake news is used to create a lot of voter apathy, so you see a lot of news like 50 people have been killed in a particular local government.

“And because of that, people who have their PVCs will not want to come out to vote because they are afraid.

“But when you find out, you will see that that information is not true but when voters do not turn up, that is when it will be easy for them to rig the elections.

“And those are the kind of problems the Run-Am App intend to solve,” she said.