An analysis of the major factors of hate speech in the Nigerian digital environment

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.