Disinformation and "hate speech" in the online media of Kazakhstan (results of monitoring 2022)

Abstract

The article examines the problem of using the "language of hostility" and disinformation in the media texts of the Kazakh media, as well as the problem of stuffing fake news during the political events of January 2022 in Kazakhstan. The goals of disinformation are determined and the effects on the mass audience are evaluated. During the tragic events at the beginning of the year, the Internet was turned off in the country, which led to an information vacuum. After the restoration of communication, a stream of fake materials of various formats (audio, video, images and messages on social networks) began, the purpose of which was to incite fears among the population. The platforms WhatsApp, YouTube, Telegram and VKontakte were investigated. Case analysis of texts was also used as part of the analysis. The materials were selected by random sampling. Various criteria were taken into account for the selection of publications, including attendance, the toxicity of comments, the number of articles and posts in online publications and social networks, as well as genres of materials and the presence of elements of hate speech. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively analyze the destructive consequences of disinformation recorded in the Kazakh and Russian media during the attempt to forcibly seize power in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The following methods were used: critical analysis of scientific literature, media monitoring, discourse analysis, and the method of comparative analysis. Case analysis of texts was also used. In 2022, Kazakhstan faced new geopolitical and information challenges: armed border conflicts, disinformation and "hate speech". All these risks have led to an even greater polarization of Kazakh society, socio-political tension and a decrease in the level of trust in the official media. The key factor in changing the situation may be increasing the information literacy of the population and its promotion through cooperation with civil society institutions, the implementation of universal media education programs. Given the volume of data and the amount of information processed, it is difficult to fit the whole situation and analyze how the discourse of "hate speech" and disinformation was built. The repeatedly disseminated unreliable and contradictory information significantly increased the tension of the network media field, contributing to a greater polarization of opinions about the extraordinary event and the aggression of participants in the information exchange.