Ethiopia hate speech law risks selective prosecutions

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Network Security ◽  
Criminal Law ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Information Network ◽  
False Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technical Challenges ◽  
The Government ◽  
Absolute Control

Subject Legislation to combat hate speech and false information in Ethiopia. Significance The government in late November tabled a draft law that seeks to prevent, proscribe and punish hate speech and the intentional dissemination of false information, with penalties ranging from a fine up to five years' imprisonment. However, although there is consensus on the inadequacy of the current criminal law to respond to this rising threat, significant concerns remain over the draft law’s content and application. Impacts Given the ruling coalition’s absolute control of parliament, the law is expected to pass without much resistance. Social media providers will face financial and technical challenges in developing capacities to combat hate speech and false information. The government may use its own Information Network Security Agency to fill gaps left by providers, which would be highly controversial.

New Indian online rules risk state overreach and abuse

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
News Media ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Online News ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Service ◽  
The Government

Significance The new rules follow a stand-off between Twitter and the central government last month over some posts and accounts. The government has used this stand-off as an opportunity not only to tighten rules governing social media, including Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook and LinkedIn, but also those for other digital service providers including news publishers and entertainment streaming companies. Impacts Government moves against dominant social media platforms will boost the appeal of smaller platforms with light or no content moderation. Hate speech and harmful disinformation are especially hard to control and curb on smaller platforms. The new rules will have a chilling effect on online public discourse, increasing self-censorship (at the very least). Government action against online news media would undercut fundamental democratic freedoms and the right to dissent. Since US-based companies dominate key segments of the Indian digital market, India’s restrictive rules could mar India-US ties.

Investigating the level and determinants of hibah knowledge: a study among Muslims in Kedah, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Syaedah Kamis ◽  
Norazlina Abd. Wahab
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Islamic Education ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Estate Planning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Planning And Management ◽  
The Government

Purpose This paper aims to explore the level of hibah knowledge among Muslims in Kedah and investigate its determinants, consisting of education level, education stream, religiosity, social influence and social media. Design/methodology/approach This study is quantitative in nature. Questionnaires were distributed to collect data from Muslims in Alor Setar, Kedah. In total, 195 questionnaires were collected and data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Findings The study finds that Muslims in Alor Setar, Kedah have good knowledge of hibah. Further, education stream, religiosity, social influence and social media were identified as significant factors that influence their knowledge of hibah. Research limitations/implications The first limitation is its narrow focus in surveying Muslims only in Alor Setar, Kedah. The second limitation is the limited number of determinants used in investigating hibah knowledge among Muslims and the techniques used in analyzing the data. Despite these limitations, the study’s findings provide invaluable insights into the factors influencing hibah knowledge among Muslims in Alor Setar, Kedah. Practical implications This study provides insights regarding the significant personal factors and environmental factors to increase Muslims’ knowledge of hibah. The link between the Islamic education stream and hibah knowledge provides a clear indication that Islamic education can curb the economic problems caused by the substantial amounts of frozen and unclaimed assets in Malaysia. A significant relationship between the environmental factors (social influence and social media) and hibah knowledge also implies that the government and private agencies related to Islamic estate planning and management may use these significant determinants as part of the marketing strategy to increase the usage of hibah as an alternative tool for estate planning. Originality/value This study contributes to a better understanding of Muslims’ knowledge about hibah. The government and related agencies in Islamic estate planning and management can now gain better insights into Muslims’ level of knowledge about hibah and the factors influencing their knowledge of hibah as an effective tool for Islamic estate planning and management. Hence, more effective strategies can be recommended to enhance the knowledge of Muslims on hibah. The findings of this study should be of value to the government in its effort to address the increasing number of frozen estates in Malaysia.

Continuing professional development and special librarians in Jamaica

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha-Gay Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Information Network ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
The Government ◽  
Areas Of Interest ◽  
E Mail ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the continuing professional development (CPD) activities undertaken by special librarians in Jamaica, their motivation, the challenges faced and the areas of interest for professional development. Design/methodology/approach Special librarians working in Jamaica were surveyed using an online questionnaire which was disseminated via e-mail. Findings The study indicates that special librarians in Jamaica were engaged in both formal and informal CPD activities. They were motivated by factors such as keeping up to date with changes in librarianship and personal satisfaction. Challenges to participating in CPD include, lack of funding, time constraints and lack of worthwhile options. Areas of interest for CPD were mainly information technology-based. Research limitations/implications The study was limited to the contact lists of the special libraries section of the Library and Information Association of Jamaica (LIAJA) and the Government Library and Information Network of the Jamaica Library and Information Network (JAMLIN). Practical implications The results have implications for the planning and implementation of continuing professional activities for Jamaica’s special librarians. It also fills a gap in library literature regarding the continuing professional activities of special librarians. Originality/value The paper is one of few studies focusing on the CPD activities of special librarians undertaken in a developing country.

The United Arab Emirates will monitor internet closely

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Brands ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
The Status ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Government ◽  
In Transit

Subject Importance of social media in the United Arab Emirates. Significance The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is among the most connected countries in the Middle East, with one of the highest rates of social media penetration. Compared with Western countries, UAE consumers are more likely to engage with brands and to be less worried about issues of privacy and tracking. The government engages in extensive monitoring, surveillance and censorship of social media and apps. Impacts Both global brands and local businesses have additional scope to develop social media strategies to capitalise on rising usage. Content with the status quo and tight monitoring will prevent activists from leveraging social media platforms to bring about change. Extraterritorial aspects of the cybercrime law could be applied to non-residents and travellers in transit. Non-renewal of visas could become a more common, low-profile way to exclude expatriates who transgress on social media.

Expansionary Jordanian budget will contain discontent

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Tax Evasion ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Positive Signal ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Credit Line ◽  
Public Scrutiny ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Imf

Significance That comes as the country’s own parliament prepares to vote on the 2020 fiscal bill before the end of the year. Amman is currently in the last year of a 723-million-dollar IMF credit line, which required it to cut debt levels. The budget is intended to stimulate growth and stave off further protests, while simultaneously persuading the IMF to extend its credit line for another three years during upcoming talks in January. Impacts There will be closer cooperation between the government and parliament over managing the economy. Signs of unrest and public discontent over economic reforms will ease, notably if a tax evasion crackdown features on social media. Razzaz will survive another year as prime minister, having already served 18 months, sending a positive signal to the IMF and investors. King Abdullah and Queen Rania will come under less public scrutiny and distance themselves further from day-to-day politics.

How to strengthen the social media interactivity of e-government

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
xiaoling Hao ◽  
Daqing Zheng ◽  
Qingfeng Zeng ◽  
Weiguo Fan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Popular Government ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Government

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how to use social media in e-government to strengthen interactivity between government and the general public. Design/methodology/approach – Categorizing the determinants to interactivity covering depth and breadth into two aspects that are the structural features and the content features, this study employs general linear model and ANOVA method to analyse 14,910 posts belonged to the top list of the 96 most popular government accounts of Sina, one of the largest social media platforms in China. Findings – The main findings of the research are that both variables of the ratio of multimedia elements, and the ratio of external links have positive effects on the breadth of interactivity, while the ratio of multimedia features, and the ratio of originality have significant effects on the depth of interactivity. Originality/value – The contributions are as follows. First, the authors analyse the properties and the topics of government posts to draw a rich picture of how local governments use the micro-blog as a communications channel to interact with the public. Second, the authors conceptualize the government online interactivity in terms of the breadth and depth. Third, the authors identify factors that will enhance the interactivity from two aspects: structural features and content features. Lastly, the authors offer suggestions to local governments on how to strengthen the e-government interactivity in social media.

scholarly journals Digital Public Sphere and Geography: The Influence of Physical Location on Twitter’s Political Conversation

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 96-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreu Casero-Ripollés ◽  
Josep-Lluís Micó-Sanz ◽  
Míriam Díez-Bosch
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Negotiation Process ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Political Conversation ◽  
The Government

Social media has instituted new parameters for the political conversation in the digital public sphere. Previous research had identified several of these new phenomena: political polarisation, hate speech discourses, and fake news, among others. However, little attention has been paid to the users’ geographical location, specifically to the role location plays in political discussion on social media, and to its further implications in the digital public sphere. A priori, we might think that on the digital landscape geographical restrictions no longer condition political debate, allowing increasingly diverse users to participate in, and influence, the discussion. To analyse this, machine learning techniques were used to study Twitter’s political conversation about the negotiation process for the formation of the government in Spain that took place between 2015 and 2016. A big data sample of 127,3 million tweets associated with three Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia) was used. The results show that the geographical location of the users directly affects the political conversation on Twitter, despite the dissolution of the physical restrictions that the online environment favours. Demographics, cultural factors, and proximity to the centres of political power are factors conditioning the structure of digital political debate. These findings are a novel contribution to the design of more effective political campaigns and strategies, and provide a better understanding of the dynamics of the digital public sphere provided by Twitter.

scholarly journals Review Of Islamic Law To The Use Of Article 28 Subsection 2 About Speech Hatred And Defamation (UU Number 19 AT 2016 Amendments to UU Number 11 at 2018)

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-368
Author(s):  
Arbanur Rasyid
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Criminal Law ◽  
Islamic Law ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Many

Hate Speech  has recently become a warm conversation, not only in the media, but has begun to be discussed in scientific forums as a result of the many characters who are ensnared by hate speech due to making uploads in Social Media that is considered insulting to other people or state institutions by making a statement containing elements of hate speech in accordance with the criminal threat in Article 28 paragraph 2 of Law number 19 of 2016 amendment to law number 11 of 2008. Long before the law talks about hate speech, Islam through the Qur'an speaks a lot about how God denounces the actions of people who insult, berate, speak ill of others and make hoaxes, and Allah threatens sin for those who do it . Even in the history of Islam through the Prophet Muhammad had given a caning to people who make hoaxes, and the sentence in the Islamic criminal law is called Ta'zir, thus Islam is very careful and highly respects the human rights of a person including in protecting the soul and someone's honor

Tanzanian media will become a political battleground

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
New Media ◽  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
The State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Court ◽  
The Government ◽  
Public Criticism

Significance In early March, the Tanzanian High Court ruled in favour of the 2015 Cybercrimes Act, rejecting arguments that it breaks freedom of expression laws. Social media represents a potent forum for challenging the dominance of the state, as many African governments are realising, but in their efforts to control public narratives, they are failing to address the threat of cybercrime. Impacts The government is likely to increase the use of the Cybercrimes Act to target critical voices on social media. As the opposition strengthens, government efforts to quell public criticism in both old and new media will intensify. The government still maintains the support of donors, but attacks on individuals and opposition critics could undermine relationships. Far from limiting public criticism, excessive use of the Cybercrimes Act could intensify autocratic perceptions of Magufuli.

US political battle over social media will grow

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Hate Speech ◽  
Structural Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Direct To Consumer ◽  
Legal Challenge ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Political Battle

Significance The boycott is the most coordinated yet against Facebook over hate speech and misinformation on its platforms. Facebook and Twitter have become lightning rods for challenges to social media platforms and their Section 230 exemption from liability for content they carry. Impacts Revision of Section 230 protections is likely, although not without legal challenge. Social media’s pervasiveness and profitability make structural reform or extensive regulation unlikely. Many small direct-to-consumer businesses built on Facebook will have to stay loyal, risking consumer backlash. Influencer advertising will come under stricter scrutiny from brands and regulators. US regulation of social media will not diminish Washington’s opposition to international digital taxes on US tech companies.

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