Editor’s Note

“When a Tweet Starts a War Room”

We live in a world where it takes just one tweet to start a wildfire. No sirens. No journalists. No proof. Just a trending topic, recycled videos, and panic on auto-play.

Côte d’Ivoire didn’t fall, but the internet sure acted like it did.

This week’s Decode isn’t about a country. It’s about all of us — the content we consume, the chaos we enable, and the quiet damage we scroll past.

Because in a region that’s lived through real coups, fake ones aren’t just annoying — they’re dangerous.

Before you hit forward on that voice note, ask:
Is it true?
Is it verified?
Or is it just viral?

The next crisis won’t need tanks. Just a TikTok, a burner account, and your retweet.

NoOrdinary Eyitemi
Editor-in-Chief, Decode Daily

A crash course in how fake coups trend faster than real reforms.

“One TikTok clip, two fake headlines, three WhatsApp forwards — and boom, people were already saying President Ouattara had fled. But man was just chairing a cabinet meeting in Abidjan.”
—Your plug who double-checks before he panic-buys data

THE GIST

Côte d’Ivoire did not experience a coup.
President Alassane Ouattara is alive.
There was no army mutiny, no internet shutdown, and no presidential escape route through Ghana.
(Source: Sahara Reporters, BusinessDay Africa)

So how did “Côte d’Ivoire coup” trend for 12 hours straight?

• 📲 Misinformation.
• 📸 Recycled videos.
• 🧠 Emotion over evidence.
• 📢 Virality over verification.

Let’s Decode the Mechanics of Misinformation

🔁 Recycled Content = New Panic

Videos from protests in Burkina Faso, drone shots of military convoys, and even photos from past Ivorian security events were clipped, reposted, and repackaged as “breaking news.”
No context. No timestamps. But a lot of retweets and anxiety.

Decode truth: In a region already shaken by coups, recycled content doesn’t need to be true, it just needs to feel real.

🤖 Bots, Burners & Amplifiers

Disinformation doesn’t go viral by accident. It gets amplified by fake accounts, burner handles, and sometimes influencers who didn’t bother to verify.

Some early posts in the Côte d’Ivoire hoax came from bot-like accounts with zero followers but hundreds of shares.

Decode insight: Every like and repost becomes an unpaid ad for panic.

🧠 Your Brain Likes Hype More Than Facts

ICYDK (In Case You Didn’t Know)

Misinformation travels six times faster than the truth. Why?
Because your brain craves the drama, not the data.

It loves the rush of:

• ⚡ Shock
• 🔥 Outrage
• ⏰ Urgency

But not the truth because that’s a slow burn. It demands proof, patience, and process.
Panic on the flipside just needs a headline and a share button.

Decode mindset: Don’t be the guy who yells “fire” in a WhatsApp group. Be the one who checks the extinguisher first.

How to Verify, Pause, and Not Panic

1. Check the Source Before You Share

If the story breaks on “@militarypower2025” but not on Reuters, BBC, or Channels TV, please breathe.

Decode tip: If a major event isn’t being covered by a major newsroom, it’s probably not happening.

2. Don’t Trust Screenshots or Subtitles Without Timestamps

Video from 2018 can’t confirm news from 2025. Reverse image search is free. Google exists. So does common sense. #wink

3. Follow Verified Journalists, Not Just Loud Influencers

In Côte d’Ivoire, actual journalists on the ground debunked the rumor within hours. But social media kept running with the chaos.

Decode tip: Your info diet should include reporters, not just vibes.

4. Zoom Out: Ask “Who Gains from the Panic?”

Fake coups can:

• Undermine upcoming elections
• Test digital security systems
• Trigger market or political instability

Decode question: If you can trace who benefits, you’ll often spot who’s behind it.

TL;DR

• Côte d’Ivoire didn’t have a coup; social media had a misinformation meltdown.
• Recycled videos, bot accounts, and zero fact-checking caused a viral false alarm.
• In the chaos economy, your biggest skill isn’t speed, it’s sense.
• Decode readers? Be the signal, not the noise.

Before You Share Again…

Ask yourself: Am I forwarding facts or fanning flames?

Misinformation isn’t new. But the way we fuel it is. In West Africa, where real coups have cost real lives, we can’t afford to treat fake ones like gossip.
So let’s make a new trend: verifying before amplifying.

📌 Stay curious. Stay critical.
📌 Check your info diet.
📌 And most importantly — be the signal, not the noise.

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Your Decode Daily Team ✌🏾