Skopje, 21 March 2024 – A workshop was held yesterday, as part of the Twinning Project on Enhancing the Capacities of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services and the Public Service Broadcaster,” on the following topic: “How to Tackle Hate Speech in Audio and Audiovisual Media Services and on the Online Platforms.” The workshop was intended for the members of the Network against Hate Speech in the Media and the employees of the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services.
In his opening address, Agency Director Zoran Trajchevski pointed out that, in the past six years, the Agency had not detected any hate speech on the part of a television or radio station, but that this did not mean that hate speech was not present in other media. “The Agency has been actively dealing with hate speech for quite a while and we know how difficult it is to identify hate speech and take action against those who spread it. Therefore, we think it is important that we have a number of various stakeholders present at the workshop today, who fight against hate speech each within their own realm of competence,” Trajchevski pointed out.
Executive Director of the Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia and Coordinator of the Network Against Hate Speech in the Media Biljana Georgievska emphasized that there was a significant increase in the number of complaints and decisions adopted by the Council’s Complaints Commission, which refer to hate speech in the Internet sphere, especially in the comments sections on the social networks. Hence the great importance of having a chance to hear about the European practices that can be of help in the fight against hate speech.
Dr. Alexander Schӓfer from the Federal Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany dwelled on the initiatives and recommendations of the Council of Europe and the United Nations for tackling hate speech in the media and on the online platforms, reminding also of the obligations under the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Ms Claire Moselage of this same institution shared the new rules that apply to the Internet sphere and the impact of the EU’s Digital Services Act in combating hate speech.
Dr. Niels Schulte from the Federal Office of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany shared their experiences from the regulatory approach and dwelled on the process of harmonizing the activities of the social networks and video-sharing platforms with the European regulations concerning hate speech and the challenges they face in the process of implementing these regulations on the Internet platforms.
The presentations made at the event are available at the following links:
Dr. Alexander Schӓfer, Federal Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany: “Hate Speech in the Media and on the Online Platforms – Initiatives on the International and National Levels”
Claire Moselage, Federal Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany: “New Rules on the Internet – The Impact of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) in Combating Hate Speech“
Dr. Niels Schulte, Federal Office of Justice of the Federal Republic of Germany: “How to Achieve Compliance with Regulation on Hate Speech – Experiences of a Competent Authority for Online Platforms“