Conference Series on Luxembourg Media Reform Concludes

On Wednesday 4 December 2024, the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy (SMC) of Luxembourg’s Ministry of State held the final in a series of conferences which examined the main issues in the planned reform of the Electronic Media Act, at Casino Luxembourg.

Since May 2024, the SMC, in collaboration with the University of Luxembourg, has held five conferences entitled "Electronic Media Act: what reform is possible?"

Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity, Elisabeth Margue, addressed the final conference and stressed the need to establish modern and technologically neutral legislation on electronic media. According to the minister, the reform must be guided by principles of fundamental and societal rights to guarantee free and democratic discourse: "General principles such as human dignity, freedom of expression, transparency, as well as the protection of children and consumers must always be guaranteed, regardless of how the content is disseminated. It is essential to ensure that everything that is prohibited in the physical space is also prohibited on the internet. These elements are crucial to successfully creating a safe, free and pluralistic media environment."

The first conference laid the foundations for the discussions by presenting the complex context of the Luxembourg and European media landscape. This introduction paved the way for in-depth discussions with national and international stakeholders on the legal issues of the reform.

The second conference focused on influencers and online content creators and the approach adopted by certain European countries in this area. This session highlighted the usefulness of clarifying existing rules.

The third conference addressed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalistic content. It looked in particular at the impact of AI on the production, distribution and selection of information.

During the fourth conference, participants examined national and international laws on hate speech. It was noted that while some forms of hate speech are punishable, other types, more widespread online, are more difficult to identify. Participants stressed the need to further protect victims.

The fifth and final conference focused on disinformation and its harmful impact on our democratic systems.

The SMC noted that the five conferences have made it possible to identify new solutions as part of the reform work, which should be completed next year.