In this episode we delve into the issue of image-based sexual violence with special guests Andrea Powell and Inês Marinho. Both guests are part of the Reclaim Coalition, a collective endeavour aimed at combating online image-based sexual violence. In the conversation, Andrea and Inês share their personal experiences as survivors and discuss the challenges and initiatives in addressing this pervasive problem. They highlight the lack of awareness, ineffective legal frameworks, and the normalisation of online misogyny as key obstacles. Despite these challenges, they also shed light on positive developments, such as increasing legislative efforts, innovative tech solutions, and growing recognition of survivor advocacy. The episode underscores the importance of consent, education, and community engagement in creating a safer online environment for everyone.

In our interconnected world, hate speech and intolerance have become all too common, leaving many wondering: why do people hate? Delving into this pressing question, we recently sat down with Arun Mansukhani, a clinical psychologist based in Spain. Through our conversation, we explored the underlying reasons behind hate and discussed actionable steps to combat it effectively.

In the latest episode of "Zooming In on Hate," we are joined by Louisa Klingvall from the European Commission, recorded live at INACH's Annual Conference. The dialogue provides a nuanced exploration of the European Union's role in combatting the complex issue of online hate. Louisa Klingvall has worked in the Fundamental Rights Unit of the European Commission DG Justice since 2012. Her main focus of work comprises fundamental rights aspects  in the Commission's Digital Single Market files.

Today, we are zooming in on Meaningful Compliance. We are being joined by Claire Pershan, the Mozilla Foundation’s EU Advocacy Lead, currently stationed in Brussels, Belgium. Many of us are familiar with Mozfest, but today, we're keen to learn more about the broader scope of work that the Mozilla Foundation undertakes. We'll explore areas of current concern, touching on vital topics such as translating legislative changes into product-level adaptations for all EU countries, browser-level blocking, and the crucial role of research in driving their mission forward.

In this episode we are joined by Rita Jonušaitė who works at EU DisinfoLab as Advocacy Coordinator. Previously Rita worked at the European Youth Forum as Policy and Advocacy Manager and prior to that at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. At the moment Rita is also pursuing a degree in IP & ICT Law at KU Leuven university. Rita has been primarily following regulatory discussions around disinformation, including negotiations on the Digital Services Act and updated Code of Practice on Disinformation. Rita has also been looking at relevant discussions around media policy (European Media Freedom Act).

In this episode we are joined by Martin Kováč, an Old Catholic priest, theologian, and the project coordinator and programme manager of the cultural-community centre Staré Lýceum in Bratislava. He is a leader of two inclusive Christian communities in Bratislava and Trnava, has dedicated his life to human and minority rights, and is an advocate for the acceptance and rights of LGBTQI+ people. Martin is a pioneer of interfaith dialogue in Slovakia and is dedicated to the rights of religious minorities, working to change discriminatory laws.

In this episode we are joined by Benjamin Fisher, Program Director at the Alfred Landecker Foundation. The Alfred Landecker Foundation is an incubator for democracy in the digital age. The foundation uses technological advancements and comprehensive expertise for an open society, a contemporary remembrance of the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes and the fight against antisemitism, racism and group hatred.

Our 16th episode is a very special one, focussing on online radicalisation and deradicalisation. This episode was recorded at the 6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “CIVIC ACTORS IN CONFLICT" hosted by PDCS on November 9th in Bratislava, Slovakia. 

Our friend Marie Heřmanová hosted a very interesting panel discussion, looking into the world of online radicalisation and de-radicalisation, discussing trends, threats and solutions to explore the current developments of online mobilisation and radicalisation, also related to the war in Ukraine.

In this episode we are joined by Moussa Bourekba. He is a Research Fellow at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) and adjunct professor at Blanquerna Faculty of Communication and International Relations and at the University of Barcelona, where he teaches international relations in the MENA region, terrorism and violent radicalisation.

Working in the field of hate speech, disinformation and radicalisation we get confronted with the darkest parts of the world wide web. So, it's important to be reminded about the happy, wholesome and inspiring parts from time to time. That’s why we invited Toon Vos to join us today, to talk about the positive sides of the internet.

Toon Vos is both a writer and a designer, and has recently produced a wonderful special series titled the Wholesome Wide Web. The Wholesome Wide Web is a voyage to the online strongholds where people come together to meet, talk, share, and play. Places where the promise of the internet is alive and kicking.

In this episode, we speaking to Julia Mozer, EU Public Policy Manager at Twitter and Carlos Hernández-Echevarría Head of Public Policy & Institutional Development, Maldita Spain, about moderation strategies on Twitter, and how to utilise online communities to counter disinformation.

This episode was recorded as a live webinar on the 20th of October.

In this episode we are zooming in on the Council of Europe’s actions to counter hate speech in Europe. We are joined by Menno Ettema, who is the Programme Manager at the No Hate Speech and Anti-Discrimination Cooperation unit, Anti-Discrimination Department of the Council of Europe. In his function he brings together the organisations work on combatting hate speech and discrimination through standards setting, monitoring and capacity building programmes in cooperation with member States and European partners.

In this episode special episode we are zooming in on the killing of two men outside of a gay bar in Bratislava on the 12th of October in a suspected hate crime. We are joined by Lukáš Zorád, who works for Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia.

In this episode we bring together two organisations doing wonderful work in the field of hate speech and diversity. We will be zooming in on LGBTQ+ related hate, and dive into an upcoming conference hosted by INACH on this topic.

How can we disrupt terrorist organisations online? Are social media platforms doing enough? How can CSOs, NGOs and analysts help? In this episode we are joined by Anne Craanen from Tech Against Terrorism to zoom in on disrupting online terrorism.

The Great Replacement Theory is a white nationalist far-right conspiracy theory that has been inspiring violent attacks such as the Christchurch attack and the Buffalo shooting. In this episode we are joined by Jakob Guhl from Institute for Strategic Dialogue to zoom in on the Great Replacement Theory.

Will the new EU Digital Services Act (DSA) have an impact on online hate and disinformation? What are the effects of this new legislation on social media users? What can we expect from the big platforms?

In this episode we are joined by Līva and Josephine from HateAid to discuss the Digital Services Act.

This episode focuses on Open-source Intelligence & Fringe Social Media Platforms. We’ll meet with Amra Dorjbayar, data journalist at the VRT, and Olivier Cauberghs, radicalisation and terrorism expert at Textgain.

This podcast delves into the current trends in the world of online influencers in and around the War on Ukraine. Who is getting it right and who is categorically not. Do governments have the right or a duty to steer their content production given the huge columns of disinformation and propaganda being generated by Kremlin bot farms and content production apparatus. Take a listen now!

This podcast delves into the current trends we are seeing online in France, identifying particular hateful narratives. We discuss the impact of the war in Ukraine and foreign influence, especially that of Russia. We hear how the volunteers of I Am Here International are debunking disinformation, and finally, we end on a positive note, where Xavier explains how he would try to encourage the silent majority to speak out. Take a listen now.