A poster against hate speech. (UN)

The National Communication Authority (NCA) is preparing regulations to combat hate speech and misinformation specially on social media, said an official of the agency.

Following the events of 2013 and 2016 conflicts, there has been increasing cases of ethnically motivated hate speech and misuse of online platforms among South Sudanese, according to Defy Hate, an initiative fighting the vice.

Dr Labanya Mathya, Director of Cooperative Affairs at the NCA said the Defy Hate Initiative plays a crucial role in countering the harmful practices.

Speaking at the national symposium on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, Dr. Mathya said the NCA is developing laws that will soon be enacted to mitigate the situation.

“The NCA is actively working to address the misuse of applications that foster hatred and misinformation,” she said.

“The Department of Cyber Security and Computer Incidents Response Team is developing regulations and laws to guide these efforts. The NCA plans to launch these regulations soon, providing the necessary tools and human resources to counteract hate speech and misinformation effectively.”

The event under the theme “Investing in the Power of Youth for Countering Hate Speech,” focused on developing community-based and data-driven solutions to address the issues of hate speech, disinformation, and online incitement to violence.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said at this year’s commemoration of the international day against hate speech, that the practice incites violence, undermines diversity and social cohesion and “threatens the common values and principles that bind us together.”

On his part, John Ngor Arok, External Relations Manager at Defy-Hate said their partnership with Meta – the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram – enables them to report false information and hate speech promptly.

Ngor said Defy Hate has recovered about 1,000 social media accounts that were hacked and used to spread hate speech and fake news over the past three years.

He added that the organization intercepted more than 200 instances of hate speech.

“We have two flagship programs 211 Check and Safety-Com. These programs collaborate closely with Meta to address false information and cybersecurity issues,” he said.

“211 Check specializes in fact-checking, while Safety-Com focuses on cybersecurity. The partnership with Meta enables them to report false information and hate speech promptly.”

“If an account is hacked and used to spread hate speech, they intervene and report the incident to Meta. Over the past three years, we have successfully recovered over 1,000 accounts and reported more than 200 instances of hate speech.”

Mr. Ngor said the collaboration underscores a commitment to maintaining a safe and accurate online environment.

18th June was declared by the United Nations General Assembly as an international day for countering hate speech to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue and tolerance as effective counters to hate speech.

In September 2022, the Presidency issued an order stating that the Cybercrime and Computer Misuse Bill would be initiated by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

This bill aims to establish a special court dedicated to adjudicating cases related to crimes of computer misuse.