Description:
Hate speech pervades the internet. At different times racist, antisemitic, Islamophobic, homophobic or sexist, it is a phenomenon that knows no boundaries. Whether driving polarisation or prompting long-term psychological harm among its victims, the consequences of online hate can be devastating. Striking at the core of human dignity, online hate speech impacts a wide range of human rights, from privacy, data protection and freedom of expression, to effective remedy, non-discrimination, freedom to conduct a business and victims’ rights.
Addressing hate speech online demands a concerted and comprehensive rights-based approach. Through an interactive multi-stakeholder discussion, this session aims to identify some of the key elements of a framework to effectively and efficiently combat hate speech online and ensure that human rights are protected. It will offer an opportunity to reflect on the role of different actors, possible approaches to regulatory solutions, and the place of on- and offline actions to tackle hate speech online.
The roundtable will consist of brief opening interventions by the subject matter experts (approx. 30 mins) to highlight the instruments they have developed and are working with to address hate speech online, followed by a discussion with and between other participants:
- Moderators - Martha Stickings (EU Agency for Fundamental Rights) and Charlotte Altenhöner-Dion (Council of Europe): introduce the subject matter experts, explain the discussion topic and highlight the key human rights issues at stake.
- Matthias Kettemann, Leibniz-Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut: setting out the key components of a clear, rule of law-based framework for detecting illegal online hate speech, with a particular focus on the Council of Europe Recommendation on the roles and responsibilities of internet intermediaries.
- Louisa Klingvall, European Commission: reflecting on the role of voluntary codes of conduct and how different stakeholders (regional organisations, business, civil society) can work together.
- Laëtitia Avia, Member of the French National Assembly: presenting the approach set out in the proposed French legislation to combat online hate speech, for which she is the rapporteur.
- Saloua Ghazouani Oueslati, Article 19 Tunisia and the MENA region: defining the main pitfalls of current regulatory approaches to online hate speech.
- Victoire Rio, Myanmar Innovation Lab: discussing the specific situation in Myanmar and Facebook’s responses to violence-inciting messages spreading across the platform in that country.
- Alex Walden, Google: highlighting the steps major tech companies are taking to tackle hate speech online, and the respective roles and responsibilities of states and internet companies.
To support practical outcomes and substantive policy discussions, subject matter experts will be provided with a set of guiding questions prepared by the organisers. These will ensure that each of the key policy questions are addressed. Discussion during the session will be facilitated by keeping the opening interventions short, leaving the bulk of the session for exchanges of questions and ideas with and between the walk-in participants and speakers. Speakers will be encouraged to respond to each other’s interventions, and those of the audience.
Expected Outcomes:
Discussions are underway at the national, regional and international levels – as well as with and among business and civil society – about how best to tackle the phenomenon of hate speech online.
This session will contribute to ensuring that human rights considerations are hardwired into legal and policy debates by identifying some of the key elements that any regulatory regime or voluntary initiative need to take into account. Participants will gain insight into existing instruments to address hate speech online and learn about the roles that different actors in the process can play.