Kenya's digital defences are not ready for the war on our minds

Most fake news is harmless but, in many instances, it can form basis of making key personal, political or economic decisions that ultimately harm us or society. [iStockphoto]

There is a story from a small village in Kiambu County that has stayed on my mind. A rumour spread on WhatsApp that a nearby dam had cracked and would burst within hours.

Within 30 minutes, nearly 700 people evacuated their homes, carrying children, mattresses and whatever else they could grab. Only later did it become clear that the message originated outside Kenya, created by someone who has never set foot in that village and has never met the people whose lives he disrupted. One false message shook an entire community.