Call for stricter laws against hate speech
MThe definition of hate speech has not been clearly mentioned and this is why some people may go on to publish negative comments that incite discrimination without necessarily knowing that they are spreading hatred Samir Al Hiyari
A media professional from UAE
edia experts have urged Arab nations to introduce tougher laws to rein in social media users from spreading fake news and hate speech, as a way to fight racism and religious discrimination.
During a panel discussion on ‘Social Media and Hate Speech’ at the ‘Media against Hate’ conference in Amman, Jordan, Samir Al Hiyari, a media professional from the UAE, said unlike in the western world where people can use social media responsibility, many youth in the Arab region don’t bother about what they share on social media, thereby find themselves spreading messages of hate and discrimination.
“The definition of hate speech has not been clearly mentioned and this is why some people may go on to publish negative comments that incite discrimination without necessarily knowing that they are spreading hatred,” he said.
“Introducing stricter online regulations should be the way forward for many Arab nations in order to prevent people from misusing social media to advance their personal interests, which in turn affects others.”
Al Hiyari also stressed the need for social media influencers to produce useful and educative content that can benefit society. “Influencers should produce content that have a positive impact on their followers and not messages that mislead people,” he said.
Abdullah Talafahah, a media expert from Jordan, said it is not easy for people to control themselves regarding what they post on social media. “Therefore, it’s good for nations to come up with a clear definition of what hate speech is, and to issue strict rules and regulations to control the use of social media,” said Talafahah.
“These should include hefty fines for people violating social media rules like the UAE has done. The UAE cyber crime law imposes a penalty of imprisonment and a fine of up to Dh500,000 on whoever posts insulting comments online or sends slanderous and defaming messages to others via the Internet,” he added.
Imaan Aghuthan, a Moroccan media expert, said hate speech has its own audience and a lot of effort should be exerted on sensitising young people about the negative effects of hatred and discrimination. “Social media influencers have both positive and negative content. It is good thing to identify those who share important and educative stuff. Those influencing others negatively should be penalised,” she said. “There is a need to support credible influencers technically and financially so they can provide people with good content.”