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How online hate speech threatens peace and Kenya's social fabric

Social media logos printed on paper. Logos include Facebook, instagram, linkedin, blogger. Social media uses web and mobile technology to connect people. [Courtesy]

In today's hyper-connected world, the digital space has become Kenya's new public square. Social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and WhatsApp are now central to how we communicate, organise and engage in national discourse. But amid the memes and trending hashtags lies a dangerous undercurrent - online hate speech.

While hate speech in Kenya is not new, the speed and scale at which it now spreads online has amplified its threat to peace and social cohesion. What used to be whispered in villages or plotted in backroom meetings is now broadcast instantly to thousands, sometimes millions, at the click of a button.

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