Increasing Rate of Hate Speeches Online Worries CITAD

An NGO, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has expressed concern over the increasing rate of hate speeches on the social media platforms.

Malam Hamza Ibrahim, the Coordinator, Curbing hate and dangerous speech in Nigeria Project of the centre, raised the concern on Wednesday at a Press conference in Kano.

He said that a study conducted in August and September indicated that 80 per cent of the speeches were made by young males and cut across the six geo-political zones of the country.

“In September 2018, 174 were captured with 94 appearing from websites of online and conventional Newspapers, so we have noticed a decline in hate and dangerous speeches relating to gender.”

It also appealed to online media and websites to monitor conversations taking place on their platforms in order to reduce the menace.

CITAD further appealed to group administrators on social media, to strengthen their gate-keeping skills to curb the menace.

The project is being sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation to facilitate activities of the centre in fighting hate and dangerous speeches on the Internet.