Ending cyberdiscrimination and online hate

Recommendation 2098 (2017)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 25 January 2017 (5th Sitting) (see Doc. 14217, report of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, rapporteur: Ms Marit Maij; and Doc. 14242, opinion of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, rapporteur: Mr Volodymyr Ariev). Text adopted by the Assembly on 25 January 2017 (5th Sitting).

1. The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 2144 (2017) on ending cyberdiscrimination and online hate, in which it calls on member States to take a number of measures to stem the rising tide of online hate, including recognising the diverse grounds on which people are today targeted by hate speech and taking into account the rapidly evolving forms of online hate and of the media through which it is disseminated.

2. The Assembly observes that online hate is not an isolated phenomenon specific to certain Council of Europe member States, but a pan-European problem that can best be tackled on the basis of shared experiences and good practice among member States.

3. The Assembly therefore asks the Committee of Ministers to:

3.1 review and update its Recommendation No. R (97) 20 on “hate speech”, in order to ensure that it continues to provide an effective basis for combating all forms of this phenomenon, including where it occurs online, and that it covers all the grounds on which victims may be targets of hate speech;

3.2 review and update its Internet Governance Strategy 2016-2019 having regard to Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 2144 (2017) on ending cyberdiscrimination and online hate, as well as Resolution 2143 (2017) “Online media and journalism: challenges and accountability”;

3.3 launch work on education against racism and hate speech, focusing in particular on children;

3.4 reconsider the possibility of declaring 22 July the European Day for Victims of Hate Crime, in commemoration of the date of the terrorist attacks in Oslo and on Utøya Island (Norway);

3.5 bring Resolution 2144 (2017) to the attention of the governments of the member States.