“Beware of hate speech…It starts as a small stream, but then it has the potential to erupt – and when it does, it’s too late to stop it.”

-Susan Pollack, a Holocaust survivor.

Since 2004 February 9th is designated as “Safe Internet Day.” We rely on the internet to reconnect and communicate with friends and family, share ideas on social media and play games. It is cheap, fast, convenient and reliable. However, safety on the internet is at risk and it has proved to be unsecured in many occasions. Over the internet, people are bullied and intimidated, children and adults alike are trafficked and recruited into pornography, money is stolen, hate speech is spread.

In South Sudan, hate speech has fueled violence against communities and individuals. Due to the role of hate speech in conflict-ridden South Sudan, GaPPSS has chosen to raise awareness about the dangers of hate speech to its members and partners under the theme “Do Your Part, Make the Internet Safe”

GaPPSS encourages its members to do their part in this call for peace by refraining from hate speech in their postings when talking to other, or raising issues on acts carried against them.

We will be sharing some phrases and words that amount to hate speech and provide alternatives based on research done to address this issue in the South Sudanese context.