Hashtags, Hatetags and social media campaigns in Ethiopia's Tigray conflict

Abstract

This article examines the role of social media, specifically Twitter, in the amplification of violent divisive discourse during Ethiopia's Tigray conflict (2020–2022), introducing the concept of Hatetags to analyze the transforming of hashtags into vehicles of digital conflict. Through a mixed-method approach combining explorative digital methods, qualitative content analysis and qualitative interviews, the study investigates how hashtags evolved into emotionally charged communicative tools that mobilized polarized publics, reinforced ethnic boundaries, and contributed to conflict escalation. Situating Hatetags within broader frameworks of contemporary conflict studies, the article highlights how digital infrastructures do not merely reflect but actively shape conflict dynamics. It demonstrates how platform algorithms and state-diaspora interactions fuelled the normalization of hate speech and dehumanizing rhetoric. Case studies of hashtags like #junta and #cockroach reveal how repeated use and the interaction with visual memes reinforced hostility and legitimated violence. The study argues for a reconceptualization of digital platforms as active agents in conflict communication, underscoring the need for context-sensitive moderation in fragile media ecosystems. The concept of Hatetags offers a critical lens for understanding the evolving nexus between digital media and political violence.

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