The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has given political parties and candidates 36 hours to report suspected online disinformation and take steps to correct false material distributed on their behalf under a new code governing campaigning for local government elections.The rules designate Real411 as the online channel for reporting disinformation complaints. They apply to campaigning both online and offline, including paid advertising and unpaid content.Real411 is a platform developed by Media Monitoring Africa that allows the public to submit complaints about suspected digital disinformation for assessment. The commission uses it to receive complaints about information that could undermine elections.The measures follow an election campaign in 2024 marked by false claims about voting procedures, fabricated endorsements and allegations of electoral manipulation.(Supplied) Media Monitoring Africa reported that Real411 received more than 285 complaints during that election, covering concerns including misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.The complaints provide only a partial picture of the problem, with false information also circulating through private messaging groups, where its reach is difficult to measure.The code places responsibility on parties and candidates for communications issued directly or through people acting on their instructions with their authority or for reward. It is binding from publication until election results are declared.Parties and candidates must report online disinformation or suspected disinformation within 36 hours of becoming aware of it. They must also take reasonable steps within that period to publicly retract and correct false or misleading information disseminated by them or on their behalf and publicly censure those responsible.They are required to “take reasonable steps as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than 36 hours after becoming aware to publicly retract and correct any disinformation or other false and misleading information that has been disseminated by them, for them or on their behalf, and to publicly censure any person responsible for disseminating such disinformation”, the IEC said in a notice published on Friday. “Nothing in this disinformation code shall be construed as limiting lawful criticism, opinion, commentary, fair reporting, satire, parody or legitimate democratic debate insofar as it constitutes protected speech.”Read: SA business hopes local elections will offer policy certaintyIt concerns the “publication of any false information, knowing it to be false or without believing on reasonable grounds that the information is true, with the intention of disrupting or preventing an election, creating hostility or fear in order to influence the conduct or outcome of an election, or influencing the conduct or outcome of an election.”The commission requires campaign information to be substantiated and checked for accuracy before distribution. Parties must exercise oversight over communications and platforms under their control and promote compliance among representatives, members and supporters.The rules also address AI, requiring synthetic content to be appropriately labelled before distribution. The code defines this as audio, images, video or text generated using AI.Political advertisements must clearly identify the relevant party or candidate before they are distributed. The labelling must take account of the medium used and be visible and accessible to the public.Parties and candidates undertake not to use or sponsor deceptive content, fake accounts or automated bots intended to manipulate voter opinions. The provisions also cover stolen or fabricated material, cyberbullying and targeted falsehoods directed at people using confidential or sensitive personal information.They must take reasonable steps to monitor their own or associated online platforms for disinformation, including material posted by third parties, and act rapidly to correct it publicly and limit its spread.Records of disinformation distributed by or on behalf of a party or candidate or posted on their platforms must be retained to support notification of the commission and any investigation. Parties must also safeguard personal information against unlawful use or access.Business Day