This document summarizes research on hate speech and counter-messaging on social media in Sri Lanka. It finds that Facebook pages spread anti-Muslim and anti-minority hate speech in Sinhala with a large following of users aged 18-35. Even very offensive content gained audiences. Counter-messaging pages faced an uphill battle and campaigns like #IvotedSL and #IcanChangeSL tried to encourage civic participation and positive change. However, addressing the growth of online hate speech requires understanding its network dynamics and context in Sri Lankan society.

1. Megaphones or echo
chambers?
The Internet, dangerous speech and counter-messaging
in Sri Lanka

2. Businesses, individuals,
imam’s, women

3. Aluthgama incitement

4. Population growth, mosques,
niqab, halal certification

5. The dangerous and hate speech by BBS,
with complete impunity

6. Targets
• Women, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and
queer communities, Christians and especially the
evangelical Christian community, NGOs, rights
activists, politicians from minority communities and
even, tellingly, Buddhist priests who support
religious harmony.
• People as targets, not just brick and mortar

7. The report
• 10 August 2013: A Muslim prayer centre, the
Masjid Deenul Islam on Swarna Chaithya Road in
Grandpass, Colombo
• 15 June 2014: The violence in Aluthgama directed
against the Muslim community
• 20 Facebook pages, including first 10 comments
on key posts at the time of the study

10. Key points
• Content predominantly in Sinhala
• Requires context to understand and address
• Age group is 24 - 35, on many pages as low as 18
• Fans are similar to each other - a high degree of
homophily (echo chambers), i.e. the world filtered
through news-feeds of likeminded friends

11. Key points
• Even the most offensive anti-Muslim sentiments
and statements had a growing audience and
following in web based social media
• Social media content has a greater ‘virality’ and a
‘long-tail’
• Speech acts largely visual in nature, appealing to
(and possibly created by) those as young as 18
(still in school)

13. Key points
• Anti-Muslim hate speech is generally, qualitatively
more vicious than anti-LTTE sentiments even at the
height of war
• High level of sophistication and planning around
content production and online virality suggests
individual pages could be part of larger, strategic
group efforts

14. Key points
• SM content augmented rumours, a dominant form
of discourse under authoritarian regimes.
• Facebook content is perceived as more trustworthy,
independent (filtered through ‘friends’).

15. Observations
• The growth of hate speech in online fora does not
guarantee another pogrom like July ‘83.
• Ideational justification key foundation for real world
violence

16. Appropriation during
elections
• Many posts about Islam terrorism, Sharia law.
• Speech acts around conspiracies that promise to
reveal secret agreements between opposition
members and Muslims (politicians).
• Clear support for MR here.
• MR page as the polite, socially acceptable alter
ego of the BBS.

17. Counter-messaging
• On Facebook: Buddhists Questioning the Bodu
Bala Sena, Not In Our Name initiative, Mixed Riced
initiative, Rally for Unity page
• If you can understand network dynamics, you can
act in a timely manner to curtail dangerous and
hate speech

18. Counter-messaging

19. Counter-messaging

20. #IvotedSL
• The campaign calls on voters to take a public pledge that
they will exercise their right to vote on January 8th.
• An individual can signify this pledge by changing their
profile/account picture and cover/banner page on
Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or any other social media
platform.
• On election day those who take the pledge can share
through social media a picture of the fifth digit (little
finger) of their left hand which is marked with indelible ink
using the hashtag #IVotedSL.

21. #IvotedSL

22. #IvotedSL
• ~1,000,000 first time voters (18 - 24)
• ~1,000,000 first time voters in 2010 (now around 28
at most)
• 1,200,000 Sri Lankans who are 18 - 34 on
Facebook

23. #IvotedSL

24. #IvotedSL

25. #IvotedSL

26. #IvotedSL

27. #IvotedSL

28. #IvotedSL

29. Counter-messaging

30. Counter-messaging

31. Counter-messaging

32. #IcanchangeSL
#YoucanchangeSL

33. #IcanchangeSL
#YoucanchangeSL
• …as we all know, the work to shape Sri Lanka’s
future doesn’t stop with electing a new president or
a new government. Change will need to involve all
of us as citizens in our various positions and roles
in society.

34. #IcanchangeSL
#YoucanchangeSL
• The campaign encourages us all to focus on what
we can do in our individual capacities, as well as
what other citizens in government, opposition
politics, public services, business or our own
neighbourhoods can do, to bring about change for
good.

35. #IcanchangeSL
#YoucanchangeSL
• Use the hashtag (#icanChangeSL) to flag an action
that you took, a resolution you have made, or an
example that you personally want to follow.
• “I just refused to pay a bribe to a public official #icanChangeSL”
• “I will speak up the next time I see a woman being harassed on
the bus #icanChangeSL”
• “I am trying to learn about other religious beliefs
#icanChangeSL”

36. #IcanchangeSL
#YoucanchangeSL
• Use the hashtag (#youcanChangeSL) to highlight an
example of a positive social practice, an inspiring
news story, a request to a specific individual, or an
aspiration for the country as a whole.
• “Don’t use ‘influence’ to get your son onto the school cricket team
#youcanChangeSL”
• “Don’t just criticise public services, suggest how to improve them
(with available resources) #youcanChangeSL”
• “Why don’t we establish a post A/L volunteer corps for Sri Lanka?
#youcanChangeSL”

37. Thank you
www.groundviews.org | www.cpalanka.org