– I think some adults are afraid of young people and our opinions, says Khava Dudaeva (16). She is active in the Democracy Project in Kristiansand. Incitement in social media affects ethnic minorities, queer people and young people the worst. This is shown by an analysis of close to one million comments under Facebook posts in Kristiansand. NETTHAT: This is one of the comments in the 200,000 posts that were examined. Minorities and young people get the most incitement Photo: TRYGG DIGITAL BY When conversations are about ethnic minorities, 14 percent of the comments take the form of online harassment. The same applies to LGBTIQ people. That is, every seventh comment. When the topic is young people, the proportion of hate is seven percent. – Hate is not bad communication or misunderstandings. Hate is hate, says Maja Charlotte Fleck-Baustian (21). The 21-year-old is active in the association Youth for Diversity Agder. She believes fear and xenophobia are among the driving forces. – Young people do things in other ways. But we have to make room for each other in the public conversation, says Fleck-Baustian. SHARPENING: – Some young people are “dumbed down” and scolded online. Here, many adults must take their role as role models more seriously, says deputy mayor Erik Rostoft (right) – together with Jeppe Albers from the Nordic Safe Cities network. Photo: EIRIK DAMSGAARD / news Artificial intelligence used The debate climate in Kristiansand ended up in the spotlight around the 2019 election. The Facebook plague Sørlandnyhettene hammered away at politicians and municipal leaders. The bullying went so far that it received attention from both Prime Minister Erna Solberg and the Freedom of Expression Commission. Kristiansand municipality has now partnered with the Nordic Safe Cities network. They have contributed to checking the tone of public Facebook conversations where the topic is things that “happen in Kristiansand”. A total of 1,330 open pages and groups on Facebook have been reviewed with analysis tools, including the use of artificial intelligence. An algorithm was developed that recognizes hate speech. The “robot” uses both words, terms and phrases when it analyzes texts. 200,000 posts had a total of over 900,000 comments. ANALYZED: For the first time, a Norwegian municipality has scrutinized its Facebook landscape for incitement and attacks. Photo: TRYGG DIGITAL BY The results show that there are groups in the minority – minorities – and young people who are allowed to undergo the test. – This is not surprising. That queer communities, Muslim communities and young people are most at risk. But now it is documented, says deputy mayor of Kristiansand Erik Rostoft. In the next analysis, the politicians themselves will be under the microscope. In the spring of 2023, analyzes of the tone of political conversations will be presented. – Now we will work on and make plans for how we will treat each other with respect, says Rostoft. GIVE A NOTICE: – Also online, we must dare to say that hatred and incitement are not acceptable, says imam and leader of the Muslim Union Agder Akmal Ali. Photo: EIRIK DAMSGAARD / news – A few stand behind Leader Akmal Ali in the Muslim Union Agder says the numbers confirm a picture he recognizes. – It shows that young Muslims experience more hatred than many others on social media. Ali points out that young people in different environments can be hit “double”. – First they experience extra excitement because they are young. Then because they have a background in a minority. It is serious. The imam in Kristiansand still believes that a lot of hatred comes from a small group. – This report does not look at who is posting. But it may be that there are a few who are throwing tantrums in all directions. Both against Muslims, against homosexuals, against women, Ali believes. Nevertheless, the picture is not completely black. Taken as a whole, the digital conversation in a thousand Facebook groups is neither marked by hatred nor bullying. Among nearly one million comments, only 0.5 percent contain incitement or hatred, according to the analyzes of the Nordic Safe Cities network. The report is part of the “Safe digital city” project, which aims to prevent hate online and acquire knowledge.
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