Media influencers in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region have been asked to prioritize disseminating positive messages with a view of undermining narratives of violent extremists.
The call was made on Monday in Kenya during the first day of media influencers forum on their role in countering violent extremism and terrorism on digital spaces.
Violent extremism are beliefs and actions of people who support or use violence to achieve ideological, religious or political goals. This includes terrorism and other forms of politically motivated and communal violence.
The three-day engagement is organized by the IGAD Centre of Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (ICEPCVE).
During the interaction, media influencers from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia were reminded that using their following, they can deflate disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech propagated by violent extremists.
“With the media being the oxygen of violent extremists and terrorists, the media influencers need to know how to effectively use the social media spaces to spread positive messages with an aim of undermining violent extremists narratives,” said Dr Samson Nyambura, the Director ICEPCVE.
The participants noted that there is a lot that extremists can do with digital spaces saying it is incumbent upon media influencers not to fall victim if unknowing ‘parroting’ their narratives.
“Are we unintentionally propagating violent extremists agenda? Indiscriminate sharing of terrorist attack concent for “news value” might inadvertently lead to spreading terrorism Agenda,” remarked one of the participants.
The media influencers would then hold group discussions on their experiences while covering peace and security issues including violent extremism incidences and opportunities to counter the ideologies propagated by VEOs on online and offline platforms.
In the group discussions, the participants sought to answer the questions: What are the personal limitations you face as an influencer? Are there any social-political or legislative impediments to your efforts as an influencer? and what unique experiences have you has as an influencer?
ICEPCVE seeks to promote knowledge sharing, best practices and enhancing cooperation amongst key stakeholders in the field of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE).
“The Centre recognizes that given the increasing connectedness, the social media spaces offer, it is crucial that the fight against violent extremism shift ls to digital spaces. Media Influencers often help to shape perceptions and alter attitudes of vulnerable individuals including those considering joining Extremists’ organizations,” according to information on their website.
“There is need to augment capacities of the media influencers to be able to recognize the violent extremists’ ideologies on the online platforms and the best strategies to apply to effectively undermine violent extremists’ ideologies,” adds the Centre.