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Report

Call for input: online hate speech

Issued by

Special Procedures

Published

18 October 2023

Report

Issued by Special Procedures

Subjects

Hate speech, Racism

Symbol Number

A/78/538

Summary

The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 52/36, in which the Council requested the Special Rapporteur to submit to an annual report to the General Assembly. The Special Rapporteur’s report addresses the issue of online racist hate speech.

Background

The Special Rapporteur is gathering contributions from Member States, and other relevant stakeholders, to prepare her report to the 78th session of the General Assembly on the topic of online hate speech.

Call for written submissions

The Special Rapporteur welcomes all inputs on the topic of online hate speech and particularly invites stakeholders to provide information and share their views on the following points:

  • The different forms and manifestations of online hate speech, including online hate speech amounting to incitement to racial discrimination, hatred and violence.
  • How those facing discrimination on grounds including race, ethnicity, nationality, descent, religion, migration status and/or LGBTI status experience online hate speech experience online hate speech, including the experiences of those facing discrimination on multiple and intersecting grounds.
  • The nexus between online hate speech and false information and news.
  • The relationship between online hate speech, including, but not limited to, hate speech amounting to incitement to racial discrimination, hatred and violence and hate speech, hate crimes and related human rights violations, which take place offline.
  • The role of private companies in preventing and addressing online hate speech.
  • The key challenges faced in effectively preventing and addressing all forms and manifestations of online hate speech.
  • Any examples of good practice, demonstrating effective action to prevent, address and punish online hate speech, including through regulatory legislation, policies, education, counter-speech, steps to build societal support for plurality and/or prosecutions, when applicable,
  • Examples of the effective application of the Rabat Plan of Action’s six-part threshold test, as well as any challenges faced in the implementation of these criteria.
  • What are the experiences of victims of online hate speech who seek access to remedies following experiences of hate speech.