THE TICKING TIME BOMB OF ONLINE HATE SPEECH: Can We Defuse It With Social Media?

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As part of the ongoing Social Media Week 2017 in Lagos, Bethpage LLC is hosting an event  tagged “Online Hate Speech: Can Social Media Reduce its Spread?” It is taking place today, 28^th of February 2017 at Ibis Hotel, 23 Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos. It commences at 10am prompt and will have as panelists the likes of cyber security expert Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, APC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, and thought leaders in the field of communications such as Ngozi Ife Anene and Obianuju Ndaguba.

The event is open to the general public but will be of prime relevance and benefit to civil society groups, policy makers, the diplomatic community, bloggers and online journalists, telecommunications companies and internet service providers, victims and targets of cyber bullying and other forms of hate speech, and indeed anyone who has a social media account. The panelists will enrich the discourse with their expert perspectives even as we explore the power of social media for the greater good of reducing violent extremism and preventing a repeat in Nigeria of the tragic genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994.

Bethphage is helping birth successful culture transformation campaigns across the world. Recognizing the clear and present danger that hate speech poses to the security and stability of Nigeria at this time, the company is embarking on a nationwide drive to sensitize Nigerians to the dangers of hate speech. As the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter “Wordsmith” Eigbedion observed, “Hate speech is becoming rampant in the Nigerian sociopolitical environment, and this is very obvious on the Internet. In a country already divided along ethnic and political lines, politics and the economic recession that Nigeria is currently in has allowed many citizens to become aggressively intolerant of each other online. The discourse at our event will hopefully initiate a series of events that will make for a peaceful society.”

The event is supported by the Cybersecurity Advisors Network (CYAN), Ibis Hotels Ikeja Lagos, and KenTucker Photography. Media partners are Accelerate TV, MyPassionMyLife Media, Green News.ng, Uhuru Times, SIGNAL, Street Toolz, Total Woman, Techpoint.ng, Precious Okaredi, and YNaija

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