Ghana is preparing to introduce new regulatory measures aimed at curbing the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation driven by artificial intelligence, the Data Protection Commission (DPC) has announced.
The proposed regulations, which are currently being drafted, are expected to address the misuse of AI-generated images and videos that falsely depict individuals in fabricated or manipulated scenarios. The move reflects increasing concern over how rapidly evolving digital tools are being exploited to deceive the public.
Speaking at the launch of Data Protection Week 2026 in Accra, Executive Director of the DPC, Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, said existing legislation has struggled to keep pace with the sophistication of modern digital manipulation.
He explained that Ghana’s Data Protection Act of 2012 was enacted at a time when such advanced forms of digital impersonation were not foreseeable, leaving gaps in the country’s legal framework.
“When the Data Protection Act was passed in 2012, no one anticipated that digital versions of people could be superimposed to behave as if they were operating in live environments,” Dr Kavaarpuo said.
According to him, the Ministry is now working on targeted regulations under a proposed misinformation and disinformation bill to respond to these emerging risks and better protect individuals from digital abuse.
The importance of public trust in Ghana’s digital transformation agenda was also highlighted at the event. Deputy Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Mohammed Adam Sukparu, noted that technological progress cannot be sustained without strong safeguards for personal data.
He stressed that citizens must be confident that their information is handled responsibly if digital initiatives are to succeed.
Mr Sukparu referenced a nationwide Privacy, Personal Campaign launched in September last year in collaboration with the Data Protection Commission, which reached millions of Ghanaians through radio, television, print and online platforms.
According to him, the campaign helped demystify privacy issues by showing how data protection affects everyday life, rather than presenting it as a distant or abstract concept.
“Sustained public education is essential to building trust and ensuring compliance,” he said, adding that awareness remains a critical pillar of effective data protection.
