SMS Africa: Social Media and Security in Africa

该项目旨在及时了解社交媒体在记录和推动东非和西非安全方面的作用。随着越来越多的人连接到非洲的社交媒体，他们对实时信息的期望正在发生变化，特别是在安全方面。这导致那些负责社区安全的人改变了他们与公众互动的方式，对信息的快速流动提出了新的挑战。与此同时，它为安全部门机构创造了机会，使其能够更直接地与公众接触，提供与安全有关的信息，并有可能为改善合作关系以加强社区安全提供新的前景。该项目的目标是减少导致贫穷的不安全因素。我们有4个研究问题：1）在案例研究国家中，谁是社会媒体和安全方面的主要利益相关者，谁被排除在外？2)负责社区安全的当局如何利用社交媒体来减少暴力和不稳定的风险和影响？3)社交媒体可以通过哪些方式来增强安全或安全感？4)社交媒体如何作为威胁安全的紧张局势的预警？我们使用了在非洲研究中不常见的混合方法，将传统的定性数据收集方法（焦点小组，访谈）与社交媒体监测相结合。这涉及与在安全背景下积极使用社交媒体的个人/机构以及传统上被排斥的群体进行独特的接触。它超越了分析张贴的信息，考虑如何看待这些信息，以期深入了解社交媒体在安全环境中的效力（预期和非预期后果）。社交媒体监测软件通过允许实时访问与意外安全事件（即恐怖袭击）相关的数据来补充其他研究方法。我们将研究非洲不安全的两种变化：持续的威胁和预期的不安全增加时间。由于最近的恐怖主义袭击和未来袭击的威胁，肯尼亚将持续不安全。塞拉利昂和坦桑尼亚将是预期因选举而出现更大不稳定风险的国家。此外，我们还将研究从肯尼亚在安全环境中特别高的社交媒体使用率中吸取的经验教训是否可以应用于其他社交媒体使用处于起步阶段的国家。该项目将使1）负责社区安全的政策制定者和当局受益（安保部门、国家选举机构、政治领导人）2）非国家行为者利用社交媒体塑造围绕安全的辩论（民间社会团体;著名的网络活动家;（3）参与安全和发展的英国政府机构（4）学术研究人员与政策制定者就安全和发展问题进行接触。或者对新的研究方法感兴趣的人。这些群体都可以发挥作用，确保最终受益者是贫穷和脆弱的社区，他们往往首当其冲地受到暴力和不安全的影响。我们将提供基于证据的研究，探讨社交媒体在塑造技术、权力和民主动态之间的关系方面可以发挥的作用。我们将绘制那些负责社区安全和非国家行为者如何在安全环境中使用社交媒体，并将了解他们的行动如何反映信息和通信技术的性质以及他们重新塑造权力关系和脆弱国家安全与民主的能力。由此，我们将为在安全环境中使用社交媒体的最佳实践提供建议。

The project aims to provide a timely understanding of the role social media plays in documenting and driving (in)security in East and West Africa. As more people connect to social media in Africa, their expectations for real-time information is changing, especially in terms of security. This is leading those charged with community safety to alter their ways of interacting with the public, posing new challenges concerning the rapid flow of (mis)information. At the same time it creates opportunities for security sector agencies to engage more directly with the public in providing security-related information, and potentially offers new prospects for an improved cooperative relationship in enhancing community safety. The project works towards the goal of reducing the insecurity that contributes to poverty. It corresponds to question 3 of the call concerning measures that can be taken to reduce the risks and impact of violence and instability that affect the poor.We have 4 research questions 1) Who are the key stakeholders in relation to social media and security in the case study countries, and who is being excluded? 2) How is social media being used by authorities responsible for community safety to reduce the risks and impact of violence and instability? 3) In what ways can social media be used to increase security or perceptions of security? 4) How can social media serve as an early warning of tensions that threaten security?We use a mixed methodology uncommon to research in Africa, combining traditional qualitative data collection methods (focus groups, interviews) with social media monitoring. This involves unique engagement with individuals/institutions who are actively using social media in a security context, as well as traditionally excluded groups. It goes beyond analysing posted messages to consider how these messages are perceived, with a view to gaining insight into the effectiveness (both intended and unintended consequences) of social media in the security setting. Social media monitoring software complements the other research methods by allowing real-time access to data relating to unanticipated security incidents (ie, a terrorist attack).We will examine two variations of insecurity in Africa: sustained threats, and anticipated times of increased insecurity. Kenya will be the case for sustained insecurity due to recent terrorist attacks and a threat of future attacks. Sierra Leone and Tanzania will be cases in which there is an expected heightened risk of instability due to elections. Additionally, we will examine whether lessons learnt from Kenya's exceptionally high use of social media in a security context could be applied to other countries where social media use is in its infancy.The project will benefit 1) policymakers and authorities responsible for community safety (security services, national electoral bodies, political leaders) 2) non-state actors using social media to shape debates around security (civil society groups; prominent cyber-activists; 'citizen journalists') 3) UK government agencies involved in security and development 4) academic researchers engaging with policymakers regarding security and/or those interested in new research methodologies. These groups all have a role to play in ensuring that the ultimate beneficiaries are poor and vulnerable communities who so often bear the brunt of violence and insecurity.We will provide evidence-based research on the role social media can play in shaping the relationship between technology, power and the dynamics of democracy. We will map how both those charged with community safety and non-state actors are using social media in a security context, and will develop an understanding of how their actions reflect on the nature of ICT and their ability to re-cast power relations and (in)security and democracy in fragile states. From this we will offer recommendations for best-practices on the use of social media in a security context.