NHRC speaks on AI's roles as world marks day for countering hate speech

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) marked the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on Wednesday by organising a roundtable at its Abuja headquarters.

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The event engaged journalists and stakeholders in discussions on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be vulnerable to promoting hate speech.

The Executive Secretary (ES) of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, stated that while the benefits of AI are empowering, it could be exploited to “generate, amplify, and target hate speech with unprecedented speed and reach,” thereby endangering the rights of privacy enshrined in the constitution.

“Through algorithmic targeting, manipulated images, deepfakes, and automated bots, hateful and discriminatory narratives can now be crafted and circulated far more efficiently, often bypassing existing regulatory frameworks. If not addressed, these technologies can incite violence, and reinforce dangerous stereotypes,” he said.

***Participants at the roundtable discussion***

Mr Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, also disclosed that the commission was partnering tech platforms and regulatory bodies to explore ways AI tools could be used for early detection of hate speech and misinformation.

The Senior Human Rights Adviser, Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator (OHCHR), Adwoa Kufuor, encouraged the media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to continue challenging hate speech and promoting compassion and empathy.

“Silence is consent. In today’s digital world, staying neutral is not an option. We must collectively pledge to speak with courage rather than remain in silence, to listen with empathy rather than ignorance, and to act with conviction rather than empathy,” Ms Kufuor said.

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She also reminded participants at the roundtable discussion that AI is a machine that reflects human bias. She noted that the technology must reflect values like inclusion, justice and dignity.

“We must remember that words matter. We possess the power to heal or harm, to build bridges or burn them. Hate, as we know, is a learned behaviour, but so is compassion.”

The International Day for Countering Hate Speech has been marked annually on June 18 since 2021. This year’s theme is “Hate Speech and Artificial Intelligence Nexus: Building Coalitions to Reclaim Inclusive and Safe Spaces Free of Hatred.”

Recognising hate speech as a potential precursor to violence, the day is marked as an effort to curtail its impact.

NHRC relaunches advisory opinion on the role of media

Recognising the media as a key player in challenging hate speech, the commission relaunched an advisory opinion on the role of media in countering and reporting hate speech.

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Mr Ojukwu said there was a need to remind the media of its mandate to promote human rights through its contents, uphold the freedom of speech, and monitor and counter hate speech.

Parts of the recommendations of the advisory for media organisations include the application of in-house styles to remove inciting messages, promote the well-being of staff, create internal mechanisms for anonymous reporting of hate speech and thorough fact-checking.

The advisory also recommended that the Nigerian government uphold the freedom

of the press, for CSOs to implement advocacy and campaigns against hate speech and for international organisations to “adequate financial and technological resources and skills to support media development and capacity.”