I cover my eyes because the fans bother me

I cover my eyes because the fans bother me. The Content Moderation transparency policy applies to all countries worldwide, including Ethiopia. This policy provides a mechanism for Ethiopia to hold companies accountable for transmitting derogatory content. 

An example of this occurred in Ethiopia after the death of the late singer Hachalu Hundessa in June 2021, where a hate speech was posted on the Google platform.

I am not aware of the outcome of the Ethiopian government’s request to Google to remove the content. Nonetheless, it is commendable that the Ethiopian government utilized the existing transparency policy mechanism to address the mistake.

Facebook has also utilized the Content Moderation mechanism to remove content that contains hate speech and inflammatory language that could harm specific societies. Notably, positive results were achieved in Ethiopia and Myanmar through a campaign initiated by civil society organizations.

As a result of this campaign, a new system called “lock your picture” was implemented in both countries. This system allows individuals to restrict someone’s access to their profile without being notified of the activity.

Determining the full awareness and intentions of individual citizens regarding the impact of their social media posts is a complex task that necessitates careful examination. However, we can approach the question from a different perspective.

In our country, we have robust civil society organizations that express deep concern regarding the current situation and actively work to educate the youth about the negative consequences of their actions. Furthermore, we have social media influencers who genuinely prioritize the best interests of the country.

From this standpoint, we can acknowledge the ongoing efforts made by civil society organizations and social media influencers to promote knowledge and information about social media usage, as well as the significance of sharing positive content.

However, addressing this issue necessitates a collaborative effort involving media regulatory bodies, young people, media organizations, and civil society organizations.