In this podcast, Dr Gavan Titley gives his views on the challenges posed by online hate speech and how human rights activists can mobilise against it.
He reviews many of the arguments and tactics deployed by extremists who use the web to target lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities (LGBT), ethnic minorities, women, Roma and religious groups, rejecting the view that the campaign against online hate speech, which the Council of Europe will launch next Spring, amounts to censorship.
On this issue, Titley, a University of Ireland Media Studies lecturer, is unequivocal. He says: “The whole idea of freedom of speech in the Enlightenment traditions that people appeal to, is that the speech is going to be tested and that only speech capable of convincing people on its merits, would win out.
“A lot of people who claim that this is censorship are not that interested in having their own ideas tested and opposed.”
The Essential
Podcast: Fighting online hate speech
Website: Dr Gavan Titley
Information: Anti-online hate speech project
Information: Young people combating hate speech
Podcast: Inclusive democracies – Gender equality and Islam
Information: Intercultural cities – governance and policies for diverse communities
Video: Civil society forum on diversity
Video: ‘The Multicultural Reality Of Ireland ’ – Interview with Fidéle Mutwarasibo, Integration manager at the Immigrant Council of Ireland
Podcast: Multiculturalism and civil society
News: Jagland – Europe’s migration debate needs facts not emotion
Podcast: The challenge of diversity
Podcast: The Last Rites For Multiculturalism?
Podcast: Europe’s Identity Crisis
Podcast: Islamophobia in Europe
News: Group Of Eminent Persons publishes community relations report
