Govt Counters NCIC Threat To Shut Down Facebook
NCIC Commissioner Danvas Makori urged the app to crack down on cases of hate speech being spread by its users across the platform, failure to which it will be frozen in the Kenyan territory.
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The Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and Technology (ICT), Innovation and Youth Affairs Joe Mucheru has dismissed a warning by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to suspend social media giant, Facebook, in Kenya.
The commission had given an ultimatum of seven days to the Meta-owned platform of over 2.9 billion active users worldwide to make changes in line with its regulations ahead of the August 9 general elections.
NCIC Commissioner Danvas Makori urged the app to crack down on cases of hate speech being spread by its users across the platform, failure to which it will be frozen in the Kenyan territory.
NCIC Commissioner Danvas Makori. /DAILY NATION
“If Facebook does not comply with the requirements that we set for them within seven days, we will recommend that Facebook services be suspended,” Makori announced.
However, CS Mucheru affirmed that the platform, as well as all social media platforms, even the media, will not be interfered with during the elections period, noting that the platforms will continue to enjoy press freedoms.
He was particularly confused as to the framework NCIC was intending to use to pull the plug temporarily on the platform in the country.
"Media, including social media, will continue to enjoy press freedom in Kenya. Not clear what legal framework NCIC plans to use to suspend Facebook.
"Government is on record. We are not shutting down the internet," he wrote.
The commission's decision to issue the threat to the platform stemmed from a report by Global Witness that exposed Facebook's failure to detect ads with hate speech messages.
The report revealed that Facebook approved 20 ads (10 in English and 10 in Swahili) promoting ethnic violence and calling for rape, slaughter and beheading of persons.
The commission further accused the platform of failing to work with NCIC to promote peace in the country as it heads to the August 9 general elections.
Makori further blamed Facebook for suppressing its efforts in combating hate speech and promoting peace, hence ruining its chances of having the initiative successful.
“We have been trying to push peace messages on Facebook but Facebook has been suppressing them. We have been unable to fight hate speech because Facebook has refused to allow us to publish these messages," Makori added.
The Commission had earlier demanded Facebook to pull down any content that could warrant hate speech between Kenyans ahead of the elections, which the platform complied and did so on July 20.
The move is part of NCIC's mandate to avoid the resurgence of a trend where past election cycles have been ruined by violence and clashes. It is currently running a campaign dubbed Elections Bila Noma, which translates to elections without violence.
The Samuel Kobia-led commission has been calling upon vigilance on all social media sites and urging Kenyan users to flag any content that may contain hate speech or incitement.
