New CDT Research Demonstrates Challenges of Moderating Kiswahili Social Media Content
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Last week, CDT released a new report, “Moderating Kiswahili Content on Social Media,” which examines the challenges of Kiswahili (also known as Swahili) content moderation across online services. The report, based on a survey of frequent social media users in Kiswahili, and interviews with content moderators, creators, and digital rights advocates from Kenya and Tanzania, is the latest in a CDT series that examines content moderation within “low-resource” and indigenous languages in the Global South. Key findings, which speak to pressing issues of content moderation of languages throughout the Majority World, include:
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 | CDT report, entitled “Moderating Kiswahili Content on Social Media.” Illustration of two Kiswahili speakers’ hands and forearms, crossed and palms closed, while wearing beaded bracelets with Kenyan and Tanzanian colors, and an ethernet cord intertwining their arms. Deep red patterned background.
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- Kiswahili (also known as Swahili) exists in many varieties in countries across East Africa and some parts of Central Africa. Unrepresentative hiring of Kiswahili moderators results in significant issues in moderation, stemming from a lack of understanding of the diverse cultures, dialects, and contextual nuances prevalent in various countries across East Africa.
- The spread of misinformation and hate speech online is a significant issue within the Kiswahili online sphere. A majority of our survey participants were concerned about the spread of misleading content and inciting materials online, but only a minority were satisfied with social media companies' current reporting mechanisms.
- Because Kiswahili is used in diverse and rapidly evolving ways, it's difficult to collect and annotate adequate data to train the systems that underlie automated content moderation.
- Content moderation vendors in the Kiswahili market tend to conceal the nature of the graphic content employees will review, and prevent moderators from sharing details about their work with their families and close friends. Moderators reported high-pressure work environments where they were denied breaks after viewing distressing content, and limited psychological support from content moderation vendors.
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In the report, we further explore the features of the Kiswahili language and online public sphere that pose unique challenges for content moderation; the benefits and drawbacks of various content moderation approaches in the Kiswahili context; and the treatment of content moderators that impact effective moderation. We also make recommendations on how to improve moderation not just in the Kiswahili content, but in under-resourced languages around the world.
In the first report in the series, we examined companies varying approaches to content moderation in North Africa, especially in the Maghreb region, finding similar challenges.
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 | Graphic for CDT Research report, entitled “Screened Out: The Impact of Digitized Hiring Assessments on Disabled Workers.” A multi-panel color illustration includes a wheelchair user typing, a person with headphones facing an error on a laptop, a close-up of a person with a hearing aid, and a person with glasses. Geometric shapes and icons connect these panels, highlighting hiring assessments and discrimination disabled people face.
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— Along with civil society partners, CDT welcomed the introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Free Speech Protection Act, which would help protect Americans’ free expression rights by providing tools to dismiss and deter federal strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).
— CDT joined labor, consumer, civil rights, privacy, and other public interest groups in urging policymakers to strengthen and expand provisions of Colorado Senate Bill 24-205 for responsible AI testing, employment, and accountability. The bill represents a welcome step toward much-needed transparency and accountability for AI-driven decision-making systems, but more is needed to protect Colorado’s consumers and workers.
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CDT in the Press — CDT’s Kate Ruane was quoted by NBC: “The D.C. Circuit decision upholding the TikTok ban will immeasurably harm the free expression of hundreds of millions of TikTok users in the U.S. and globally who use the app to create, to share information, to get their news, and promote their businesses," she said. “We hope the next phase of review of this misguided and overbroad law will be a chance to right this wrong and prevent it from going into effect."
— CDT’s Greg Nojeim spoke with Dark Reading about the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks on U.S. telecommunications companies: "Greater geopolitical tension breeds greater geopolitical incentive to gain access to other countries’ communications and that will also incentivize the adoption and use of encryption," he said. "Hopefully, it will also incentivize the protection of encryption against proposals that would weaken it."
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Partner Spotlight
CDT is proud to partner with Paradigm Initiative on our research project examining Kiswahili content moderation by global and regional social media companies. Paradigm Initiative is a digital rights and inclusion organization based in Africa that shapes policy, defends rights, and builds capacity in the digital environment towards a digitally inclusive and rights-respecting world; you can learn more about the organization’s programs on their website.
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 | Picture of Aimée Duprat-Macabies
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How long have you been working in digital rights? I started with CDT Europe in April of this year, and before that, I had the opportunity to work with a member of the Europe Parliament on their campaign to ban biometric surveillance in public spaces. It was a great learning experience and gave me the chance to meet amazing activists on the ground who are deeply engaged in this issue, both at Belgian and Europe levels. A key topic I’m particularly passionate about is fighting against the discriminatory impact of technology on marginalised communities, especially women. I’m very glad to have the chance to work on these issues as part of CDT Europe.
What is your proudest moment while here at CDT? One of my proudest moments so far has been contributing to the launch of our Spyware Coordination Group during the Tech and Society Summit in Brussels. It was an incredible experience to see so many dedicated civil society organisations come together around such an urgent issue. Spyware poses significant threats to human rights and democracy worldwide, so building this network of experts and activists feels like a meaningful step toward tackling the problem head-on.
What is the best book you've read recently? Are straight men really straight? is a snarky yet thought-provoking and well researched essay on masculinity, and more specifically, on masculine homophobia. It’s a deep dive into cultural norms and personal identities, all wrapped up in a witty tone that makes it hard to put down. Sadly, it hasn’t been translated into English yet, but if you speak French, I highly recommend it!
Cats or dogs? Cats all the way! With winter upon us, I can’t imagine having to bundle up and head outside for a dog walk in the freezing weather. That said, I love getting pictures of dressed-up dogs from colleagues, please keep those coming!
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