A recent conversation at a South African braai highlighted the stark reality: truth is no longer a given. As we navigate an era where falsity feels familiar, social media has become a breeding ground for disinformation campaigns. These campaigns, often weaponized to polarize societies and manipulate beliefs, are now even more potent with the democratization of AI tools like deepfakes. Anyone can impersonate authority, generate convincing narratives, and erode trust at scale. 84% of respondents surveyed in the KnowBe4 Political Disinformation in Africa Survey use social media as their main source for news, yet surprisingly, 80% admit most fake news originates there – highlighting a troubling disconnect between users’ awareness and their reliance on digital sources. 80% believe the bulk of fake news comes from social media – revealing a concerning lack of understanding around misinformation.