Somalia needs legal framework to stop social media “warlords”
Study on impact of social media on conflict dynamic shows
Keywords:
Social Media, Somalia, Conflict Dynamics, Inter-clan war, Harmful ContentAbstract
This study explored the impact of social media on the conflict dynamics in Somalia, a country that is slowly recovering from a devastating civil war that engulfed the country since 1991. This is necessitated by the increase in digital connectivity, use of internet and smart phones in Somalia. This has led to social media becoming a key battleground, as various players, clan-affiliated groups, government authorities, political entities and civil society organizations, compete for influence and control through social media narratives. This study strived to answer the following questions; How does social media influence the framing and perception of conflict-related events in Somalia? And how does social media platforms contribute to the escalation and/or de-escalation of inter-clan violence in Somalia? The paper has used Agenda Setting Theory to structure the discussions on the impact of social media on conflict dynamics in Somalia. The study employed a mixed-methods approach; quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data focused on the patterns of use of social media across Somalia, while the qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews with local journalists, social media influencers, and policy makers and experts. This study found that social media is being used negatively to incite inter-clan conflict in Somalia. The study also found that diaspora-based social media influencers play the most negative role in inciting inter-clan conflict. The study further found there are serious legal and regulatory gaps in not only monitoring the social media, but also dealing with its misuse in Somalia. However, the study also discovered that social media can be a very useful tool in peacebuilding efforts. The study recommends enactment of legal mechanism to regulate and control the social media. There is also need to create awareness among the citizens to understand its negative aspects. It also calls for engagement of diaspora communities to come up with means of regulating their members using social media for clan-based incitement, and collaborating with various governments abroad in dealing with the issue.
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