E-Presence & Fighting Online Hate, January 2024, Romania

On January 11th, our team hosted an engaging presentation on “E-presence & fighting online hate” for the students of Technological High School Gheorghe Duca.

The presentation began by defining e-presence and explaining how our digital footprint shapes real-world perceptions and influence real people. Emphasis was placed on maintaining ethical standards in the digital realm, with a reminder that online anonymity doesn’t excuse unethical conduct.

Moreover, the presentation unveiled the link between unethical behavior and the rise of the phenomenon of online hate speech, identifying various forms across platforms such as social media, gaming communities, and online forums. Factors driving hate speech, including anonymity and misinformation, were discussed, acknowledging the challenges platforms face in content moderation.

Participants gained insights into the severe impact of online hate speech, from emotional distress to the escalation of threats into physical violence. We didn’t just stop there, we shared some cool tips on how to deal with it: you can report it, block it, and also be nice online yourself.

Finally, our activity concluded with a fun workshop! We asked everyone to create posters about fighting against online hate speech. It was a creative way to show that together, we can make the internet a friendlier place!

Read all about our other activities here.

Location: Constanța, România

Date: 11 January 2023