Online Hate Speech within the UN Framework

• Jurisdiction: European Union
• Author: Murtaza Shaikh

Speaker

Dr. Shaikh specialises in online hate speech, minority rights and social media content regulation and moderation. He is Senior Advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues and is helping develop ‘Effective Guidelines on Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities’. He is also Co-Director of Averroes, a British Muslim policy think tank, and is finalising a publication on ‘Incitement to Religious Hatred and Islamophobia under UK Law and International Law’ (Brill, Nijhoff). Currently he is focusing on regulatory approaches to online user-generated content, in particular the UK Online Harms Bill and Facebook’s new Oversight Board.

His expert insights have been relied on by the late Jo Cox MP, Home Affairs Committee, Government Departments, Law Commission and international human rights mechanisms at the UN and Council of Europe. Previously he advised the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the incitement to religious hatred under international law, assisted in conflict prevention at the Initiative on Quiet Diplomacy and litigated cases with NGOs at the European Court of Human Rights.

He holds a PhD from SOAS on the ‘Protection of Religious Minorities under International Law and Islamic Law’ and an LLM from Essex University in International Human Rights Law.

Topic

In his presentation, Murtaza Shaikh delves into the intricate landscape of addressing online hate speech within the United Nations' normative framework. This framework, often considered a cornerstone in the global efforts to combat hate speech in the digital age, has played a pivotal role in shaping international discourse on this critical issue.

One of the primary focal points of Mr. Shaikh's discussion is an analysis of the existing legal framework. While the UN has made commendable strides in outlining guidelines and principles to counter online hate speech, it is crucial to acknowledge the gaps that persist. These gaps represent significant challenges in effectively addressing and curbing the proliferation of hate speech on digital platforms. Such gaps may include ambiguous definitions, inconsistent enforcement mechanisms, or jurisdictional issues that can hinder...