Faithful to Facts: News24’s Disinformation Desk Counters False Narratives in Turbulent Year

The global events that unfolded this year have been a stark reminder of how dangerous disinformation can be, and few understand this better than Andrew Thompson, who has spent the past ten months at the frontlines of truth-seeking as part of News24’s Disinformation Desk.

Thompson joined the specialized unit at a critical juncture as South Africa faced an escalating barrage of falsehoods on the geopolitical stage. Despite his efforts to combat misinformation, the spread of deceptive content has continued unabated, with real-world consequences becoming increasingly evident.

“The hardest part has been witnessing how many people are taken advantage of by those pushing fabricated narratives for profit, influence, or political mileage,” Thompson explains, reflecting on his work throughout 2025.

The scope of disinformation he’s encountered spans from international politics to local scams. “Whether it is a US president claiming a ‘genocide,’ an Indian marketing company promising Sassa recipients will receive double grants, or local lobby groups and influencers thumb-sucking figures or sticking to flawed interpretations, seemingly to grow their subscriber and donor bases through fear and anger, the human cost of misinformation has been sobering,” he says.

His approach has been methodical and comprehensive, researching, cross-referencing, and dissecting every claim, clip, and comment he could access. Beyond merely identifying false information, Thompson has equipped readers with practical guides on verifying credible sources and detecting untrustworthy content.

Among his most significant achievements stands an in-depth investigation that traced the origins of a global fake news network targeting South Africa. This groundbreaking work, along with his broader efforts debunking false claims about the country, earned him two regional 2025 Vodacom Journalist of the Year awards in November.

The investigation demonstrated how sophisticated disinformation operations have become, using technical infrastructure to spread fabricated narratives across multiple platforms simultaneously. By tracing these networks back to their source, Thompson’s work revealed the deliberate nature of many disinformation campaigns and their potential to influence public opinion and policy.

Despite these accolades, Thompson cites editorial independence as his greatest professional satisfaction. “Working with genuine freedom and editorial independence in a powerhouse newsroom like News24 has been a career highlight,” he says. “The detractors would be sorely disappointed to learn that not once has anyone asked me to push a particular line, stick to a narrative, or lick any political party’s boots.”

This independence has allowed him to present facts “without fear or favor” when confronting disinformation across the political spectrum. His work has played a role in holding accountable those who previously operated on “unchecked claims and conspiracy theories.”

However, Thompson acknowledges the limitations of fact-based reporting when confronting deeply held false beliefs. “Changing someone’s mind is extraordinarily difficult when they are determined to believe something, even in the face of clear facts,” he reflects. “This applies to all of us, of course – but this role has taught me to remain open to those who engage with maturity and respect.”

The psychological barriers to accepting corrective information have become apparent throughout his work. Many people experience challenges to their worldview as personal attacks, often responding defensively rather than engaging with evidence. “In those moments, they often choose to attack rather than listen. And sometimes, there is simply no bridge to be built across that gap,” Thompson notes.

The pushback against his fact-based reporting has frequently taken a personal turn. “More often than not, detractors have chosen to attack the player rather than address the evidence or offer a credible counter-argument. That has been telling,” he observes.

As disinformation continues to shape global discourse, Thompson’s work represents a crucial bulwark against the tide of falsehoods. The lessons from News24’s Disinformation Desk highlight both the vital importance of fact-checking in modern media and the persistent challenges in breaking through entrenched beliefs in an increasingly polarized information landscape.