Facebook Accused of Fanning Flames of Hate in Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict

In a new report issued by Amnesty International, the global rights watchdog lashes out at social media giant Facebook, accusing it of indirectly fueling the violent two-year conflict in Ethiopia's northern region, Tigray. Amnesty alleges that Facebook's algorithms have ‘supercharged’ the propagation of hate speech during the tumultuous period, a claim that adds to a growing list of challenges for the platform's parent company, Meta.

Facebook, as a widely utilized source of information by Ethiopians, is criticized for its lax monitoring of hateful and inciting content on its platform. The scenario worsened during the protracted conflict between Ethiopian federal government forces, their allies, and Tigrayan insurgents.

Eye-opening estimates from the African Union's peace envoy, Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President, reveal that nearly 600,000 people have lost their lives as a result of combative confrontations, prevailing hunger, and insufficient healthcare provision. A ceasefire has incurred an end to hostilities but unrest still hovers over Ethiopia, particularly in Oromia and Amhara regions.

Amnesty, in its report, spotlighted Meta's ‘data-hungry’ business model that has amplified 'significant dangers' to human rights in conflict-stricken regions. This outcry follows earlier accusations of Facebook disseminating hate speech directed at the Tigray ethnic community. Now, Meta faces a hefty lawsuit from two complainants demanding over $1.5 billion (£1.2 billion) in damages for its alleged failure to tackle such harmful content.

In Amnesty's study, the group combed through Meta's internal documents, including letters received from 2019 to 2022. They argue Meta overlooked warnings and fell short of implementing necessary protective measures in Ethiopia. "Facebook's algorithmic systems supercharged the spread of harmful rhetoric targeting the Tigrayan community," Amnesty claimed.

In an attempt to address these troubling concerns, Meta reported to the BBC that it strives to boost its power to halt violating content in widely spoken Ethiopian languages.

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa, with a population of 113.6 million, uses Amharic as its official working language. Additionally, other languages such as Afaan Oromoo, Tigrinya, Somali, and Afar are commonly spoken.