"The Role of the Iraqi Press in Raising Public Awareness Regarding Hate Speech: A Field Study."

Abstract

The research problem lies in the ambiguity surrounding the role of Iraqi newspapers in raising awareness among Iraqi society about the phenomenon of hate speech, which poses a significant threat to all societies, including Iraqi society. The research objectives were to determine the extent to which the public is aware of and follows the Iraqi newspapers that educate them about hate speech, to reveal their role in educating the Iraqi public about the dangers of this phenomenon through the content they publish, and to monitor mechanisms for preventing and limiting the spread of hate speech among members of Iraqi society.

The research sample was determined from the Baghdad public, males and females aged (18) years and older, who read Iraqi newspapers, specifically (Al-Sabah, Al-Mada, and Tariq Al-Shaab). The research sample was selected using a multi-stage random sampling method. The research tool was a questionnaire, which was intentionally distributed to (150) respondents. The results showed that most of the sample members read the newspapers under study regularly (daily), and that most of the sample members chose (not having a preferred time) to read the newspapers under study over other times of the day. The majority of the respondents also found that the level of press coverage of hate speech topics in the Iraqi newspapers under study was (good), while they also found that (strict application of the provisions of the law towards those who publish hate speech) is one of the most prominent mechanisms for preventing and deterring this phenomenon, which Iraqi newspapers, specifically the newspapers under study, should focus on