Role of Misinformation and Hate Speech on Social Media in Communal Violence
The Indian Context
Keywords:
Social Media, Communal Violence, India, Misinformation, ReligionAbstract
Communal violence, or violent conflict between different religious groups, is a major threat to social harmony and human rights in India. This paper investigates how social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp, facilitate the spread of false or misleading information and hateful or inciting messages that exacerbate communal violence in India. We used the concept of a conflict triangle to analyse the behaviour, attitudes, and context of different cases of communal violence that occurred in India from 2016 to 2022. We found that social media platforms play a dual role in communal violence: they trigger or escalate violence by manipulating people's emotions, perceptions, and actions; and they reflect the underlying factors that influence communal violence, such as historical legacies, ideological differences, and political interests. We conclude that enhancing media literacy among the public and promoting interfaith dialogue among the religious leaders are essential steps to prevent or reduce communal violence in India. We also discuss the limitations of our study and suggest directions for future research.
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