dc.description.abstract |
Throughout history information is a key
factor in conflict management around the
world. The media can play its important role
of being the society’s watch dog of the
society, by exposing to the masses what is
essential but hidden, however the same
media may also be used to mobilize masses
to violence. Social media can therefore act
as a tool for widening the democratic space,
but can also lead to destabilization of peace.
The aim of the study was to establish the
challenges facing social media platforms in
conflict prevention in Kenya since 2007: a
case of Ushahidi platform in Kenya. The
paradigm that was found suitable for this
study is Pragmatism. The study used a
mixed approach. In this study, interviews,
focus group discussions and content
analysis of the Ushahidi platform were
chosen as the tools of data collection. In
order to bring order, structure and
interpretation to the collected data, the
researcher systematically organized the data
by coding it into categories and constructing
matrixes. After classifying the data, the
researcher compared and contrasted it to the
information retrieved from the literature
review. The study found that One major
weak point social media as a tool for
conflict prevention is the lack of ethical
standards and professionalism for the users.
It is too liberal and thus can be used to
spread unverified information and distorted
facts that might be detrimental to peace
building and conflict prevention. This has
led to some of the users already questioning
the credibility of the information that is
circulated through social media. The other
weak point about social media as tool for
peace building is that it is dependent to a
major extent on the access to internet. The
availability of internet in low units doesn’t
necessarily mean cheap access. So over time
the high cost of internet might affect the
efficiency of the social media as a tool. The
study concluded that information credibility
is essential if social media as a tool is to be
effective in conflict prevention and peace
building. The nature of social media which
allows for anonymity of identity gives room
for unverified information to be floated
around the social media networks; this can
be detrimental to the conflict prevention and
peace building initiatives. There is therefore
need for information verification and
authentication by a trusted agent, to offer
information appertaining to violence,
conflict prevention and peace building on
the social media platforms. The study
recommends that Ushahidi platform should
be seen as an agent of social change and
should discuss the social mobilization which
may be able to bring about. The study
further suggest that if we can look at
Ushahidi platform as a development agent,
can we then take this a step further and ask,
or try to find, a methodology that looks at
the Ushahidi platform as peacemaking
agent, or to assist in the maintenance of
peace in a post-conflict thereby tapping into
Ushahidi platform’s full potential. |
en_US |