Combatting Online Hate Speech and Disinformation Targeting Religious Communities USCIRF

USCIRF - It was good to be a part of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing hearing that took place in October it was about how some governments use and enable others to use social media platforms to sow disinformation and hate speech that target religious communities and incite violence against them.

During the past two decades, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms have emerged as invaluable tools for connecting people around the world. However, we have also witnessed the use of social media to spread false and discriminatory information that dehumanizes specific groups of people, including faith communities and religious minorities. Online hate speech and misinformation has been

OSCE Conference Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) II on Freedom of Expression, Media and Information

In July the Michael Trust took part in the OSCE Conference: Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) II on Freedom of Expression, Media and Information. This was a two day event that was held online.

The Conference was organised by the Albanian OSCE Chairmanship, OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)


The second Human Dimension Meeting provided a platform for an exchange of views among OSCE participating States, OSCE institutions and other executive structures and a variety of international organizations, civil society and other stakeholders on the implementation of commitments related to addressing the promotion freedom of expression, media and information.

ODIHR says..The power of digital technologies must be harnessed to counter hatred based on religion or belief

ODHIR Article

The Michael Trust is glad to see the continued work by ODHIR and OSCE on protection of religion and belief or non belief. In this latest press release they say..

"Digital technologies can play an integral role in celebrating and upholding freedom of religion or belief when harnessed for outreach and dialogue. At the same time, the rise in intolerant discourse and hate speech directed at religious or belief communities during the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrates the risk of the digital space becoming a forum for incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence on grounds of religion or belief."

As a trust that has worked hard for over 30 years to protect the right to freedom of belief, including the right to change your belief. It has been sad to see the increase of digital platforms being used to single out and target minority faiths such as Jehovah's Witnesses. The MT is always grateful for the work done by the ODIHR. They further state in their article....