Near: close to your experience, for from discrimination.

Near: Próximo a tu experiencia, lejos de la discriminación.

Marco De Cave@marcodecave

Roberta Lulli @Robiula

Rete Near: National Youth Work Network Against all Discriminations

@retenear

conference / conferencia / conferència:

Experimenting activism with real & virtual communities

CLOSE TO YOUR EXPERIENCE,

FAR FROM DISCRIMINATIONS

Barcelona, 12-13-14 March 2014

Hate speech and networks

NeAR us!

• A national network against all discriminations

• Our activities are done by and for the people with the aim to:

- Create awareness and a collective story- See youth as active citizens (from

problem to resources)

Networks: a more critical approach

• We rely on networks every day

• Networks are not just matter of size

• Networks have more than a simple material value

Networks• Centrality of the network

• The «provider» of the network

• Network structure (including how members behave)

• Network strategy

Online vs offline networks?• The myths of the internet: impunity and

anonomity • Is the Internet a private world? • The neo-geographical nature of the Internet

Hate speech & discrimination

Stereotype

Prejudice

Racism

Hate speech

Hate crime

Why a network against discriminations?

• Governments cannot govern alone• Networks are for and against the

action of the government => democratic rules

• Networks against discrimination manage to shape the consistency of the freedom of speech vs regulation discourse

Which approach should we adopt?

• A Human rights perspective• A preemptive perspective• Both are not contradictory as they

focus on an action that is before discrimination takes place

• Are the SNS we know repressive or preemptive?

• Intersectional activities

“Education is an important factor in this – the more people realise that hate speech is a crime and do not consider it acceptable, the more people report it, resulting in criminals getting the punishment they deserve”.- How to use the terms?- How to broaden the concept of racism in

order to better its understanding ?

Social learning theory• Humans learn to interact from the

others• Learning is not only behavioural, but

it is a cognitive process• Languages and behaviours can be

used to intimidate and assess a specific cultural message

• A case study: the rate of suicide in UK among LGB

Social learning: when it is a virtuose circle

• Learning together and feeling part of the process

• The power of stories of people and initiatives

Social learning and the internet

The use of regulation, if important, it is not however enough. We need to better the quality of the communication on the internet. Such a target may be reached not focusing on the repressing part, but rather focusing on the part connected to the pre-emption. Networks like Facebook and twitter have their own regulations that try to remove the content which is based on hate speech, however they often fail. And they often fail because their action is still situated in a continuum of time that goes chronologically after the discrimination act has come out. In order to tackle hate speech behaviour and, more in general, discriminatory behaviour probably we do not need new laws (this must be read as a provocation), but we basically need a different approach that can go from one side to the unification of legislative frame and fostering the role of culture.

Discrimination on the internet• flaming (online fights using angry and vulgar language),• harassment (insulting messages, like indirect bullying),• denigration (sending or posting cruel gossip or rumors about

a person to damage her reputation),• exclusion (from an on-line group),• impersonation (pretending of being someone else putting

him in danger or damaging the person's reputation),• outing (sharing secrets or gossip or other personal

information),• trickery (deceiving someone online and obtain damaging

information then are shared),

Discrimination on the Internet• cyberstalking (online obsessive and continuous controlling and spying).

• Cyberthreats: are either direct threats or “distressing material”—general statements that make it sound like the writer is emotionally upset and may be considering harming someone else, harming himself or herself, or committing suicide.

• Sexting is a combination of two terms “text” and “sex.” The term is being applied to situations to sending self-created nude or semi-nude sexually provocative images or sexually explicit text. Most of the focus has been on sending nude images - because these are far more likely to be more widely disseminated and because the distribution of these images can place young people at higher risk.

What to do then?• Focus on the consequences and not

on the intentions• Clear policies – routinise your anti-

discrimination actions• Informing (young)people: what they

expect, procedures• Involvement of everyone in the

trainings

The levels of NeAR network• Individual: each person is content

manager and can shape positively the language adopted by the community. Each person is different!!!

• www.retenear.it: between local and virtual

• Policy-making oriented approach: combining the vertical and horizontal dimensions

The liaison with the National Government

• Advice

• Political dialogue

• Support the actions of the government in involving young people

The web and the network to raise awareness

A game to explain the network

The phases of the game: good luck!

How to create a network?!• Community work• Education• Monitoring• Equal opportunities• Support for the victims• Community action • Publicity and press work

How to make a campaign?- What does the campaign aim to achieve?- What change do you want (short & long term)- Do you really need a campaign? - Who is the target of the campaign? Who needs to change and how?- Who do you need on your side?- What publicity do you need?- Try and have a planning committee that consists at least partly of the people concerned, the people living in the area- Choose the most appropriate method:- direct action (non-violent protest actions)- political lobbying- public demonstrations/festivals/manifestations- education- media- Delegate responsibilities- Make a time table for the campaign and check it regularly