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| Kenyan web monitors work to avert election violence | Kenyan web monitors work to avert election violence |
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| In the corner of a light, airy room in Nairobi, three young Kenyans are staring at computer screens, quietly scrolling through thousands of blogs, tweets and comments, searching for hate speech before the Kenyan general election. | In the corner of a light, airy room in Nairobi, three young Kenyans are staring at computer screens, quietly scrolling through thousands of blogs, tweets and comments, searching for hate speech before the Kenyan general election. |
| Amid fears that the vote will descend into the kind of violence that followed the election in 2007, when at least 1,200 people were killed, a research project has been launched to monitor the way political issues are discussed online. | Amid fears that the vote will descend into the kind of violence that followed the election in 2007, when at least 1,200 people were killed, a research project has been launched to monitor the way political issues are discussed online. |
| "We have come across some very serious comments – some being calls to kill, to forcibly evict, to steal or to beat," said Kagonya Awori of iHub Research, who has run the Umati project since its launch last September. "The question that worries me is: are they just talking, or do they have the mettle to do what they are talking about? Because if they do … then we should be worried." | "We have come across some very serious comments – some being calls to kill, to forcibly evict, to steal or to beat," said Kagonya Awori of iHub Research, who has run the Umati project since its launch last September. "The question that worries me is: are they just talking, or do they have the mettle to do what they are talking about? Because if they do … then we should be worried." |
| The Umati project was set up at Nairobi's technology innovation centre, the iHub, in conjunction with Ushahidi, a non-profit, open-source information platform that grew out of the 2007-08 violence and has since been used in disasters from Haiti to Japan. | The Umati project was set up at Nairobi's technology innovation centre, the iHub, in conjunction with Ushahidi, a non-profit, open-source information platform that grew out of the 2007-08 violence and has since been used in disasters from Haiti to Japan. |
| With only weeks to go before Kenyans choose a new leader on 4 March, Angela Crandall, who runs the Umati project with Awori, said the aim was "to hold a thermometer to the online space". | With only weeks to go before Kenyans choose a new leader on 4 March, Angela Crandall, who runs the Umati project with Awori, said the aim was "to hold a thermometer to the online space". |
| Five monitors look for three categories of speech: offensive, moderately dangerous and extremely dangerous. The five are from different tribes and search sites in their own languages: Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya, and Kalenjin, with a fifth person looking in Kiswahili and Sheng, a street slang drawn from Swahili and English. A Somali speaker is being hired: Kenya has a large community of Somali refugees as well as Somali Kenyans, and tensions have been rising, partly because of Kenya's involvement in the war against Islamists in neighbouring Somalia, and subsequent grenade attacks in Kenya. | Five monitors look for three categories of speech: offensive, moderately dangerous and extremely dangerous. The five are from different tribes and search sites in their own languages: Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya, and Kalenjin, with a fifth person looking in Kiswahili and Sheng, a street slang drawn from Swahili and English. A Somali speaker is being hired: Kenya has a large community of Somali refugees as well as Somali Kenyans, and tensions have been rising, partly because of Kenya's involvement in the war against Islamists in neighbouring Somalia, and subsequent grenade attacks in Kenya. |
| The team has found most hate speech on Facebook or in blog comments, with users using the basest of stereotypes when talking about politics. "One of our most interesting findings is that most of those who spread hate speech are identifiable," said Awori. "Moreover, their conversations target particular communities, political and social groups." | The team has found most hate speech on Facebook or in blog comments, with users using the basest of stereotypes when talking about politics. "One of our most interesting findings is that most of those who spread hate speech are identifiable," said Awori. "Moreover, their conversations target particular communities, political and social groups." |
| Awori was surprised at the level of "extremely dangerous" speech, saying she had assumed that a higher level of education among mainly urban internet users would mean they would be more responsible online. About 36% of Kenyans have access to the internet and most use their mobile phones to get online. | Awori was surprised at the level of "extremely dangerous" speech, saying she had assumed that a higher level of education among mainly urban internet users would mean they would be more responsible online. About 36% of Kenyans have access to the internet and most use their mobile phones to get online. |
| Examples of "extremely dangerous speech" are reported to Uchaguzi, a technology platform mapping hate speech and other intimidation. The authorities are alerted if necessary. "I don't believe a lot of these people are intentionally trying to go out there and push violence," said Crandall. "Some are just trying to express themselves but potentially using terms that may not be appropriate." | Examples of "extremely dangerous speech" are reported to Uchaguzi, a technology platform mapping hate speech and other intimidation. The authorities are alerted if necessary. "I don't believe a lot of these people are intentionally trying to go out there and push violence," said Crandall. "Some are just trying to express themselves but potentially using terms that may not be appropriate." |
| Last time, the violence started when Mwai Kibaki declared victory after the 2007 vote, and his opponent, Raila Odinga, cried foul. Text messages were used to stir up animosities, and tribe turned on tribe, burning homes, looting, raping and murdering. | Last time, the violence started when Mwai Kibaki declared victory after the 2007 vote, and his opponent, Raila Odinga, cried foul. Text messages were used to stir up animosities, and tribe turned on tribe, burning homes, looting, raping and murdering. |
| This time, the two frontrunners are Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Kenya's founding father, and Odinga. Kenyatta is due to stand trial at the international criminal court in The Hague in April for his alleged role in stoking the violence. | This time, the two frontrunners are Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Kenya's founding father, and Odinga. Kenyatta is due to stand trial at the international criminal court in The Hague in April for his alleged role in stoking the violence. |
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