Abstract

Relying on the existing literature and empirical works, this study takes explorative perspective to identifying   social media platforms that mostly propagate hate speech in Nigeria and some of the factors responsible for its spread.  Anchored on   the assumptions of   the technological determinism theory and based on secondary data in the literature, this study found   Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter as the mostly used digital channels for hate speech among Nigerians. It was also found that   explosion of hate speech on social media were factored by political interests and freedom of speech as well as ethnic and religious sentiments.  it is therefore suggested that the menace of hate speech on social media   can be mitigated if the Nigerian government could come up with anti-hate laws and proactive counter-statements policy through the instrumentation of Nigerian Communication Commission and the National Orientation Agency.   

Key Words: Social Media, Hate Speech, Technological Determinism, Regulatory Agencies, Nigeria

About the Authors

*    Jacob Suemo, Ph.D., is of the Department of Mass Communication, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria.

**  Murtada Busair Ahmad, Ph.D., is of the Department of Mass Communication, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria.

*** Abdullateef Mohammed is of the Department of Mass Communication, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 16, No. 1, April 2024, pp. 32-46

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Suemo, J., Ahmad, M. B. & Mohammed, A., (2024). An analysis of the major factors of hate speech in the Nigerian digital environment. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 16 (1): 32-46.

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