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In recent years, social media platforms have become battlegrounds for misinformation, hate speech, and ethnic intolerance. X, in particular, has seen a surge in narratives that fuel division, distort realities, and threaten societal cohesion.
In her recent investigation, Miracle Akubuo showed how online conversations, especially those targeting ethnic groups, can spiral out of control and spill into real-world tensions.
We sat with Miracle to unpack her findings, the risks of ignoring these harmful narratives, and why urgent action is needed.
What is the goal of this investigation?
The main goal of this investigation is to address the hate speech and ethnic intolerance that has flooded the media sphere, particularly on X. Moreover, I conducted this investigation to prevent this trend from escalating to physical threat, violence or potential crises.
What motivated you to investigate misinformation and ethnic narratives from this perspective?
Ethnic misinformation is not tied to a particular region or ethnicity, but the main reasons that led to this concentration were the activities that played out on X during and after the #EndBadGovernance protest, where the Igbos were instructed to leave every Yoruba-owned state, given an ultimatum of 10 days.
This prompted me to identify some of the pages promoting such narratives before the order of Igbo evacuation was expected to begin from Lagos State.
What were the major discoveries in your analysis of disinformation networks?
I noticed that this trend of hate speech, ethnic misinformation and disinformation is particularly prevalent among the Igbos and Yorubas on X, with little to no activity coming from northern Nigeria. Another observation was that some pages and users on X have dedicated their time and platform to spreading false narratives targeting an ethnic group, aiming to tarnish their image and reputation. Aside from the use of old, unrelated videos and crafted narratives, these users make use of foul and insulting language and words to address a particular ethnic group on social media. It’s important to note that the 2023 election heated contest involving the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, further fuelled this trend of disinformation.
How can social media users identify the techniques these disinformation networks use?
Social media users should be conscious of information and always check information accuracy and credibility before engaging. Another pattern is the use of foul language and elements of hate speech. Most of these ethnic misinformation actors make use of such in their posts.
What’s the place of social media users in reducing the spread of false narratives?
Like we say, “cross-check before you share,” users are expected to check the authenticity of information before engaging with it.
Another way is for users to report suspicious content to fact-checking organisations. For instance, DUBAWA has a chatbot where users can pose questions that the organisation team will address in a timely manner. This will mitigate and curb the spread of such a trend.
Are there emerging patterns in this misinformation trend that we should be worried about?
Yes, because the X space is increasingly becoming a hub for ethnic support and diversity. Social media users have turned the platform into a space where they can say, write and upload anything that resonates with them, without regard for credibility and the dangerous impact of such content on society and the country.
This growing trend needs to be addressed to avoid the escalation in the future, which might lead to physical violence or even conflict.
