The Tributes and Perils of Social Media Use Practices in Ethiopian Socio-political Landscape

This paper explores various factors linked to social media use and its effect on the socio political realm of Ethiopia, which currently is a nation under political reform. Social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and Telegram were extensively used by opposition movements that toppled the dictatorial regime that ruled the nation for over 27 years. While this is the positive side, currently ethnic extremist groups and different political factions are using social media to instigate violence and genocide that displaced millions of people across the nine Ethiopian regional states. In view of quelling the sporadically erupting ethnic violence, the Ethiopian government frequently disrupts Internet connections. This has caused untold distrust across hundreds of the diplomatic entities the nation hosts and among the business and scientific communities. The intermittently occurring political unrest as a result of fake news and hate speeches circulating through social media, has led the general public to develop negative impressions with regard to social media and Internet technologies. Further, the misuse of the technology is also urging the government to rethink its free use and is resorting to device protective measures. This study intends to explore the fortunes and caveats brought about by social media in the Ethiopian socio political life and propose mechanisms that would foster appropriate use of the technology. Data for the study was generated via focused group discussion and document review. The study revealed technical, legal, and ethical mechanisms surrounding social media use in the context of Ethiopia.