Social media flayed for misleading youth

ADDIS ABABA: People, especially the youth who are the future, are being misled by the bigotry which is flooding social media, says Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn.

As much as social media offers a digital platform to improve exchange of information and enhance popular participation, its attendant negative impacts cannot simply be ignored, Dessalegn, told the UN General Assembly General Debate this week.

“In fact, we are seeing how misinformation could easily go viral via social media and mislead many people, especially the youth who are our future,” he said.

“Social media has certainly empowered populists and other extremists to exploit people’s genuine concerns and spread their message of hate and bigotry without any inhibition.”

On other global challenges, he said international peace and stability were facing greater risks with the rise of geo-political tension and the growing threats posed by “all shades” of terrorist groups, and the global economy had not yet rebounded from the financial crisis.

Further, “it is critical to underline one critical matter which is usually given short shrift, both by the media and others. It is simply hypocritical to deny that some of our countries have been targets for destabilisation activities carried out with no accountability by people and groups who have been given shelters by states with whom we have absolutely no problems,” he stressed. – ANA