Credit: SNJ
On Wednesday 19 October 2022, Luxembourg's National Youth Service (Service national de la jeunesse - SNJ) announced an awareness campaign to promote respect online.
The need to raise awareness about online hate
According to the SNJ, the phenomenon of online hate has especially gained prominence in the past year. Xenophobic, anti-semitic and political hatred in particular, carried by the corona pandemic, has manifested itself strongly on social networks. Thus, the BEE SECURE Stopline has seen an increase in the number of reports of calls for hatred and violence. Similarly, a survey of media use trends by children and young people in Luxembourg indicates that young people cite online hate and violence as their worst experiences.
In order to contribute to the fight against hate speech, the BEE SECURE initiative presents the awareness campaign #NOHATEONLINE which promotes mutual respect online and which aims to combat hate speech. In addition, the campaign aims to inform about freedom of expression and legal limits.
A portal against hate and a quiz on freedom of expression
At the heart of the campaign is the web portal https://nohateonline.lu. The site contains general recommendations for combating hate speech online and refers to the BEE SECURE Stopline site (https://stopline.bee-secure.lu/). The latter allows the general public to anonymously report illegal content, including hateful content. When a report is qualified as falling within the area of competence of the operators of the BEE SECURE Stopline, the information relating to the illegal content is transferred to the competent authorities.
The site https://nohateonline.lu also displays the quiz “Däerf een dat soen?” which allows users to reflect on the limits of freedom of expression. Users are confronted with multiple hate speech and need to assess whether they consider such speech to be illegal or not. These comments are actual comments circulating on social media and have been reported to the BEE SECURE Stopline.
Messages and speeches to encourage online respect
Throughout the year, four posters illustrating positive messages will tour the country. The campaign will also extend to social networks with videos, messages adapted to each social network and influencers who will share the #NOHATEONLINE message with their community.
A collaboration with the Centre Cinqfontaines
As part of the #NOHATEONLINE campaign, a collaboration with the new youth centre of Cinqfontaines will take place in 2023. This collaboration aims to mobilise young people to actively engage against all kinds of hate speech.
About BEE SECURE
BEE SECURE is an initiative of the government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, coordinated by the National Youth Service and operated by the National Youth Service and the KJT, in partnership with SECURITYMADEIN.LU, the Lëtzebuerg Police and the General Prosecutor's Office of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
BEE SECURE is co-financed by the European Commission.
