JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Political parties should responsibly use social media platforms to disseminate truthful information during the upcoming elections, said South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile Wednesday.

Mashatile made the remarks in Johannesburg at the launch of the Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Digital and Social Media in Elections in Africa, which was launched by the Association of African Election Authorities.

"The increase in the use of social media in political campaigns makes it imperative for countries to come up with principles and guidelines to ensure a fair, transparent, and inclusive electoral process," Mashatile said. "The reality is that the political environment during elections is tense and volatile, and we should use social media with responsibility to ensure that the content we share is credible and accurate."

The deputy president also called for safeguarding against misinformation and disinformation, protecting privacy and data security, and fostering a level playing field for all candidates and political parties by using these principles and guidelines.

South Africa will conduct national and provincial elections on May 29 this year. Enditem

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