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ABSTRACT
It is evident in this study that the social media sphere which has been highly controlled by the Ethiopian government for a long seems to untie right after the advent of the new political reform commenced in 2018. Following the transition, it is apparent that people are relatively enjoying the freedom of expression. On the contrary, the new digital platform is deemed to be subdued by the emergence of hate speech which is attributed to political, ethnic, and religious underpinnings. The study employs a quantitative approach to analyze users’ comments collected from rivalry ethnic-based Television channels’ Facebook and YouTube. Using a binary analysis, a substantial prevalence of social media hate speech is found. Mainly ethnic, religious, and political-based hate natures are also found. Most of the hate comments are offensive; however, a few comments are laid on incitement to violence, and genocide severity levels. Contesting memory of the past, associating ethnicity with religion, culture, and language issues are the main triggering factors of hate speech in Ethiopia. The online commenters imitate the offline ethnic tension in the country that upsurge during the political reform. Thus, identity-driven hate speech in tandem with the reform incidents has suffocated the Ethiopian social media.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 Refer the date since Abiy Ahmed appointed as Ethiopian Prime Minister in 2 April 2018, and now onwards despite of many critics to consider it as real and genuine reform.
5 Ethiopia shut down the Internet for a third day to prevent students from cheating in national examinations. The government was also fearing Activists will leak a scheduled national exam
6 Amhara ethnic based media, visit https://asratmediahouse.org/about-us/ [access in 16 June 2020]
7 Oromo ethnic based media, visit https://oromiamedia.com/about/ [access in 17 June 2020]
8 Tigray ethnic-based media, visit https://www.facebook.com/dimtsiweyane1/ [access in 19 June 2020]
14 Oromia Media Network: https://www.facebook.com/OromiaMedia/videos/679721766175812/
15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAsOwq3Rx0M [Accessed 14 August 2020]
17 https://www.facebook.com/OromiaMedia/videos/2262795670619881/; https://www.facebook.com/OromiaMedia/videos/289948592215774/; https://www.facebook.com/OromiaMedia/videos/479384452580298
18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmEcdNSofj0 [play at 1: 01:50 time of the speech]
20 https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/7/28/hachalu-hundessas-death-exposed-an-unlikely-anti-abiy
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Muluken Asegidew Chekol
Muluken Asegidew Ckekol (PhD candidate) is an Ethiopian who is perusing a Ph.D. in Media and Communication Studies at department of Journalism and Communication, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. Muluken had though journalism and communication courses at several universities in Ethiopia. He also wrote an academic book in Ethiopian language “entitle Journalism and Communication” He had served as head of department to Journalism and communication and Director, to Public and international relation at Dilla University.
Mulatu Alemayehu Moges
Mulatu Alemayehu Moges (PhD) is an Ethiopian who is an assistant professor of Journalism and communication at department of Journalism and Communication, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Mulatu were a media practitioner who served in various levels in the Ethiopian media. After gating his MA in He has joined Addis Ababa University and thought several journalism and communication courses. He got his PhD from University of Oslo, Norway in 2017; and since then he is teaching and conducting researches under the host of Addis Ababa University.
Biset Ayalew Nigatu
Biset Ayalew Nigatu (PhD) is an Ethiopian who is an assistant professor of Journalism and communication at department of Journalism and Communication, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. Biste had served as head of the department to Journalism and communication at Bahir Dar University. He has been teaching journalism and communication and advising postgraduate students in their research works.