‘Voices in the Shadows’: Online hate fuels violence across Africa, youth in Sudan at risk

Report by Jared Wedge-Thomas

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Online hate speech is accelerating conflicts across Africa faster than journalists and communities can respond, experts warned at ‘Voices in the Shadows Tackling Online Hate Speech in Conflict Affected Communities‘. The forum, held on November 10th, was hosted by Digihub Africa and partners including Radio Dabanga, as part of their “Hold Before You Send It” campaign. The initiative seeks to raise awareness of online threats, strengthen digital literacy, and encourage teenagers and young people in conflict zones to think critically about what they share online.

The session explored how social media shapes realities in conflict-affected communities, revealing both its potential to empower and the urgent need for safeguards to protect young users.

Experts from Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Kenya warned that misinformation now spreads faster than truth, often with real-world consequences.

Opening the discussion, DRC digital rights advocate Muderhwa Seraphin Mushagalusa, Executive Director of Digihub Africa and Co-Chair of the Christchurch Call Advisory Network, called for “safer, more inclusive online spaces” and stressed that rising digital extremism requires cooperation at every level.

Radio Dabanga journalist Amgad Abdelgadir said the collapse of Sudan’s media landscape has allowed armed groups to dominate online narratives. “Platforms aren’t just reflecting the conflict,” he said. “They’re shaping it.”

South Sudanese human rights advocate Adeng Leek said Facebook and WhatsApp have become vital tools where infrastructure has collapsed.

Eastern DRC activist Joséphine Malimukono said social media can save lives yet also place users in danger.

Kenya-based youth organiser Ebongo Honore added that a single viral post can galvanise action across borders. “It can unite, and it can mislead,” Honore said.

Speakers warned that online narratives often precede physical violence. In Sudan, Abdelgadir said sexualised harassment campaigns have “paved the way for physical sexual violence”, while labels such as “traitor” or “spy” have led to targeted attacks. 

Leek said graphic footage of ethnic violence has triggered unrest in South Sudan and refugee camps. Honore emphasised that rumours spread with no way to verify them, and Malimukono said online rumours of attacks in Goma, a city in eastern DRC, created panic before any violence. “People locked themselves indoors,” she said. “The fear online became fear on the streets.”

The panel also warned that youth are highly vulnerable. Honore said frustrated refugee youth are exploited by leaders. “They’re used as tools,” he said, “pushed into agendas that aren’t their own.” Leek said hardship drives many into divisive online spaces where “rumours become truth”. 

Abdelgadir described Sudanese youth as a “lost generation” shaped by revolution, pandemic, coup and war. Malimukono added that professional media “struggle to compete” with the speed of disinformation.

The forum closed with heartfelt appeals to young Africans. Leek urged youth to recognise the weight of their choices, while Malimukono encouraged them to use social media for learning and personal growth. Abdelgadir delivered a striking reminder saying, “Before sharing something ask ‘does this build Sudan or does this burn it’.”

Honore said leaders must stop exploiting young people in digital battles, insisting the continent’s future should not be sacrificed to online manipulation.