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The online discussion was organized on the occasion of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, with a parallel social media campaign launched by UNESCO at the global level.

The event, moderated by ’s legal officer Chantal Joris, featured three speakers who provided insights into the root causes of online hate speech and the effectiveness of content moderation policies of social media platforms in protecting online users from such harmful content spread in their respective countries.

“Online hate speech in Bosnia and Herzegovina mirrors the offline tensions caused by inter-ethnic conflict and a complex political landscape,” said Amina Mahovic from (Balkan Investigative Reporting Network) based in Sarajevo, explaining that instances of hate speech are usually triggered by concrete events occurring in the country, such as elections campaigns. This reflects conducted under the UNESCO project in partnership with ARTICLE 19, which highlights that online harmful content has adverse effects in the real world, including on human rights of individuals, democracies, and overall societies.

Wijayanto from in Indonesia, pointed out that although social media platforms have established community standards and rules concerning hate speech, their efforts are insufficient. The involvement of civil society in Indonesia, as advocated by the recently launched Coalition DAMAI, is seen as crucial in addressing these limitations.

Viktor Kapiyo from  discussed Kenya's context, emphasizing the historical tensions rooted in linguistic, religious, and economic differences, among other. Exploiting these divisions, harmful content proliferates online and remains a persistent issue.

Kapiyo stressed the need for educating the users to recognize and debunk harmful content and the deployment of a more effective reporting mechanism as a possible solution to this issue.

The second part of the event focused on the coalitions formed in each country and their objectives. These coalitions represent a significant step towards countering harmful content in particular online hate speech. By establishing a dialogue with platforms, advocating for improved content moderation, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, these initiatives strive to create safer online spaces while upholding freedom of expression.

The speakers unanimously emphasized that the cooperation with the social media platforms is crucial for reflecting the local context in the content moderation policies of platforms, in order to effectively counter hate speech online. Therefore, by addressing the complexities specific to each country, the coalitions seek to improve dialogue with social media platforms, influence their practices, and develop robust strategies to counter hate speech.

The event concluded with an optimistic outlook from the speakers, emphasizing the importance of spreading positive and peaceful messages and working together and through concerted efforts to achieve substantial results in the fight against online hate speech and make a lasting impact towards safer digital spaces for users.