NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 3 – The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and its partners have launched an online petition to hold Facebook accountable for allowing the publication of hate speech content on its platform.
In their petition, the activists want the social media giant to take effective steps to reduce hate speech content on its platform ahead of next Tuesday’s General Election.
The petition follows concerns raised by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) that Facebook had failed to detect advertisements inciting violence ahead of the polls.
“There is an extensive list of ‘Break the Glass’ measures taken by Facebook during other electoral crises,” the Commission’s Senior Program Advisor for Transitional Justice Martin Mavenjina said.
Among the actions the activists want the Mark Zuckerberg-led body to take is to explain what it knows about hate and incitement on Kenyan Facebook, and make specific software changes to make hate and violence less viral.
“This list is not exhaustive – but it shows Facebook has previously taken specific steps to stop hate spreading on its platform. It should take similar steps now – and come clean with the people of Kenya about the size of the problem, and exactly what it is doing to stop it,” Mavenjina said.
Interior Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiangi and his ICT counterpart Joe Mucheru during the weekend maintained that no social media platform or the internet will be shut down.
“The position of the government is very clear, we will respect the Constitution, respect all the rights of our people. We will not intrude or interfere with the freedoms of our people,” Matiangi said while in Kisii.
The peace-building agency had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the social media giant to clean up hate speech on its platform or risk suspension.
Commissioner Danvas Makori issued the ultimatum on behalf of the Commission but Matiangi termed his sentiments as “personal opinion and not official policy”.
Matiangi stressed that the Cabinet has never entertained the idea of infringing on the rights of Kenyans.
“That was his opinion which I can confirm that we are not going to take or listen to. We are a mature government and we will not shut down social media or the internet,” Matinagi said.
Mucheru on his part dismissed the NCIC position noting that “media, including social media, will continue to enjoy press freedom in Kenya”.
He reiterated that the government “is on record. We are NOT shutting down the Internet”.
The NCIC is an independent ethnic cohesion watchdog set up after the 2007-8 post-election violence that left more than 1,000 people dead.
It does not have the power to suspend Facebook but can make recommendations to the government’s Communications Authority.
NCIC’s recommendations followed a report by advocacy group Global Witness and UK-based legal activist firm Foxglove that said Facebook had accepted and broadcast at least 19 ads in both English and Swahili calling for rape, slaughter, and beheadings.
