Tackling Online Hate Speech Through Content Moderation

Tackling Online Hate Speech Through Content Moderation

Hosted by Media Peace Project, the George Washington University

Hate speech is not a new phenomenon but it has had unprecedented consequences in the age of social media. From developed countries to war-torn regions, online hate speech has led to violence and discrimination against individuals and groups on the basis of their identity. Yet international legalrules on the matter are general and scarce. In particular, while Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects freedom of expression, it provides that speech may be limited to protect the ‘rights or reputations of others’ as well as ‘national security’, ‘public order,’ or ‘public health or morals’.