Regulating hate speech in Cameroon has become a cause for concern as highlighted by Dr. Sakah Bernard while training journalists attending a five day workshop on media, peace and elections in Yaounde.
During the training session, journalists were told of the importance of regulating hate speech so as to foster peace, tackle threats to national unity amongst others. While calling on journalist to be conscious about the role they have to play in regulating hate speech and the spread of fake news, it was said that the active role of multi stakeholders including individuals is needed to regulate hate speech and the spread of fake news in our society.

In a bid to regulate hate speech and fake news, journalists were called upon to start at the level of their media organs by laying ground rules that govern the production and dissemination of information.

“Hate speech can bring us to the point of destruction” Hon. Njume Peter of Ekondo Titi and Dikume Balve constituency told journalists. He cautioned the over 50 media men and women to watch out against this cankerworm that has eaten deep into our society.

The social media was pinpointed as one of the medium through which hate speech is widely promoted and journalists were told that if they are able to regulate their social media use, fact checking every information and reducing the forward as received syndrome, then they can go a long way to regulate hate speech and the spread of fake news. Publishing articles on the phenomenon was equally proposed as a means of educating the public on the need to regulate the use of hate language and the spread of fake news.

Government officials and parliamentarians alike were equally called upon to enact media and internet laws placing strict sanctions on defaulters all in a bid to curb the use of hate speech and the spread of fake news.

Journalists have since Tuesday been attending a workshop on media, peace and election organised by NewSETA and the concept of regulating hate speech and fake news is amongst many other concepts relating to the media which these press men have been schooled on.

By M. Sandrine