Benin Policies Affecting Disinformation
Legislation
Benin has no specific legislation against disinformation but the "Loi N° 2017-20 du 20 Avril 2018 portant code du numérique en République du Bénin" strictly regulates against spreading disinformation. The law has been criticized as too ill-defined in scope and too disproportionately harsh, permitting the government to limit any speech deemed inappropriate.[1]
Penal action
In April 2020 there was been at least one journalist arrested for allegedly spreading false information about the country's economy on social media.[2]
Initiatives
During COVID-19 the government set up a number of platforms to ensure factually correct health information was readily available including a centralized government platform available on mobile phones, videos, press releases across social media, an official pandemic website and a WhatsApp messaging system.[3]
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