SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONFLICT: UNDERSTANDING RISKS AND RESILIENCE - Research Findings From Ethiopia, Iraq,

SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONFLICT: UNDERSTANDING RISKS AND RESILIENCE Research Findings From Ethiopia, Iraq, Myanmar, and Nigeria JULY 2021 | by Keith Proctor1 Summary The weaponization of social media is shifting peace and conflict dynamics in the world’s fragile states. [...] To inform future research and programming, Mercy Corps (i) developed a digital risk assessment framework, which outlines how to incorporate social media assessments into peacebuilding, and (ii) conducted case studies on the weaponization of social media in Ethiopia, Iraq, Myanmar, and Nigeria. [...] In Iraq, ethnic and sectarian tensions play out routinely in online spaces, with conflict actors utilizing disinformation to attack minorities, or to gain the sympathy and support of the oppressed. [...] Conflict mitigation, peace-building, and social cohesion gains risk being undermined by the uptake of social media MERCY CORPS SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONFLICT: Understanding Risks and Resilience: Research Findings A 2 in target communities. [...] MERCY CORPS SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONFLICT: Understanding Risks and Resilience: Research Findings A 3 A Religious leaders and their followers who are active on social media and use the platform variously to advance interfaith understanding, or to sow ethnic and sectarian divisions.