VOA: Researchers concerned about hate speech on social networks in Albania

2023-11-28 19:43:00, Aktualitet CNA

In Albania, hate speech is increasingly being used on social networks. In the discussions that accompany various news on these platforms, researchers note that in many cases it escalates to the point of inciting violence and murder. This phenomenon has recently been noticed after the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East. Inciting hatred, insulting or threatening through the computer system is a criminal offense, but discovering the perpetrators presents difficulties.

In Albania, researchers are increasingly encountering the use of hate speech on social communication platforms. It follows a special development or event, which, although it may not be directly related to the country and the lives of individuals, they are involved in mass communications and debates, through a language that carries hostility and hatred.

According to experts in social developments and the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, the use of insults and hate speech in the comments accompanying the news about the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East has recently been noted with concern in social networks. Among them there are open calls for the killing of Israelis or Arabs in Gaza, and the comments are divided according to the affiliation of the parties to the conflict.

Currently, monitoring comments on social networks presents difficulties for the police, the prosecution or the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, when it comes to identifying the perpetrators, and yet this situation has not gone unnoticed.

"We still do not have a monitoring because it is difficult to monitor all the comments, in all social networks. When it comes to calls to kill or use violence against certain groups that have an affiliation, be it ethnic or religious or any other affiliation, these are criminally punishable" - Robert Gajda, Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination.

Edmond Dragoti, lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, at the University of Tirana, makes this assessment on the language of hate in social networks, following the events on the Israel-Hamas armed conflict. Some of them incite violence against Jews and others against Arabs.

"In social networks there is a lack of boundaries for the use of language. In this sense, freedom is given to emotion and not to reason. Therefore, many judgments and prejudices are encountered there. Aggressive hostile attitudes are directly encountered. Their identity is missing in most cases. They don't have enough responsibility for what they say. While in special institutions the attitudes are solid, serious, correct and without emotions" - Edmond Dragoti, Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, told Voice of America.

In many countries, after the attack of Hamas in Israel and the beginning of the armed conflict, there is a call for peace. Even in Albania, a short time ago, such a rally was held where the call was addressed to Israel to stop the war and crimes against the civilian population in Gaza.

On the other hand, researchers note that the language of hatred used in social networks against Jews, which incites murder, even though it does not represent the attitudes of the Albanian people, is worth analyzing in the context of history. The Commission for Protection from Discrimination refers to the help that Albanians gave to Jews during World War II.

"On the other hand, this shows the contradictory aspect. We are a society that prides itself on the fact that thanks to our hospitality we have helped the Jews, in their most difficult moment of life, and on the other hand when we read such comments they give us a not very clear and fair perception of our people against this people" - continued Robert Gajda, Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination.

In Tirana, the Jewish religious community opened a synagogue 10 years ago. Sokol Pirra, representative of this community, told the Voice of America that comments on social networks that inspire violence against Jews, stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, do not harm cooperation with other religious communities in Albania.

"Baba Mondi has come to the Synagogue, as has the Muslim cloud. We ate Shabbat together. At the same time, we have been to every celebration that takes place in Albania. Rabbi Joel Kaplan has been many times in the Muslim community, with Baba Mondi, with the Catholics, the Orthodox, which means he conveys the message that we are very communicative with each other. There is nothing more beautiful" - Sokol Pirra, representative of the Jewish community in Albania, said to the Voice of America.

The Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination believes that hate speech on social networks, directed in some cases against Jews and in some other cases against Palestinians in the case of the Israel-Hamas conflict, is mostly caused by misinformation.

"Disinformation is one of the key points that permanently feeds hate speech and when media attention is focused on a situation, it is then expressed and today people have the opportunity to express their opinions using all platforms and this is more visible . It brings to your attention the rise of many conspiracy theories during the pandemic that connected many situations with Jews" - continued Robert Gajda, Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination.

The lecturer Edmond Dragoti also says that uncertain and unstable information is easily interpretable.

"People believe the things that stand out, the special things regardless of how true they are and it is very easy to interpret them and turn them into the basis of a certain hostility or aggressiveness" - continued Edmond Dragoti , lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana.

Inciting hatred, insulting and threatening with motives of racism, ethnicity, religion or nationality and xenophobia through the computer system are criminal offences. The Penal Code provides for fines and penalties from 2 to 10 years in prison. But social groups that protect human rights and freedoms note that the Penal Code should be improved in this regard. Specifically, the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination suggests that in the conditions where the drafting of a new Penal Code is being discussed, clearer provisions are needed that address hate speech with digital means, taking technological developments into consideration./ VOA