Hampering hate speech and disinformation through AI-based technologies to prevent and combat polarisation and the spread of racist, xenophobic, and intolerant speech and conspiracy theories.
Context
The rapid growth of social media platforms makes communication and interaction easier, but they have also become a fertile ground for multi-target discrimination, hatred and disinformation. Hatred, in all its forms and expressions, and disinformation go against the values of the European Union and the fundamental rights stated in Article 2 of the EU Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. The impact of hate speech and fake news extends to both individual victims and the groups they are associated with, leading to societal polarisation and suppressing the voices of significant segments of the population. This, in turn, erodes pluralism and undermines respectful public democratic discussions.
HATEDEMICS aims to strengthen the preventive and reactive measures against hate speech and disinformation online. Its aim is to empower NGOs/CSOs, factcheckers, public authorities and youngsters as activists to effectively prevent and combat polarisation, the spread of racist, xenophobic and intolerant speech, as well as conspiracy theories.
Objectives
- To understand online hate speech and disinformation including the network dynamics,trends and approaches in facing the phenomenon.
- To monitor online hate speech and disinformation, to identify the topics and the actual targeting people and vulnerable groups affected by these phenomena through Artificial Intelligence.
- To prevent and tackle online hatred and disinformation, by providing tools for semi-automated creation of textual responses (counter-narratives for single and multi-turn interventions in dialogical settings).
- To advance reporting, training and educational activities for key stakeholders, professionals and young people as activists.
- To strengthen cross-border coalition-building in the fight against online hate speech and disinformation, by promoting awareness-raising, cooperation and networking activities among cross-sectorial and multi-national stakeholders.
Activities
- Definition of the Hatedemics sociotechnical requirements and methodology based on the results of a desk and field research.
- Development of the Hatedemics Platform to support NGO/CSOs, media professionals (fact-checkers and journalists), relevant public authorities and young people as activists to prevent, tackle and report multi-target discrimination, online hatred and disinformation through automatic monitoring, highlighting posts and producing computer-assisted responses and hints.
- Pilot and roll-out of the Hatedemics Platform in Italy, Malta, Poland and Spain with NGO/CSOs, media professionals (fact-checkers and journalists), public authorities and young activists.
- Training activities for NGO/CSO operators, media professionals such as fact-checkers and journalists, local/national public authorities, teachers and educators, and youngsters to reduce victims’ vulnerability to discrimination and violent narratives online and enhance democratic resilience.
- Awareness-raising campaigns including webinars and briefing series for young people as activists and volunteers, and experts and professionals.
- Hatedemics events
Resources
- Hatedemics methodology;
- Hatedemics platform;
- Training kits.
Impact
- Contributing to a better understanding of how new technologies can be used to prevent and combat hate speech, hate crimes and disinformation;
- Responding to the vulnerabilities of specific groups particularly affected by intolerance, racism, xenophobia and discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion or belief, gender and sexual orientation;
- 500 people trained on tolerance and against hatred and disinformation online;
- 4000 people having enhanced awareness and understanding of EU values as well as the gender dimension of hate speech and disinformation.
Partners
- FONDAZIONE BRUNO KESSLER (Italy, coordinator)
- SAHER (EUROPE) OU (Estonia)
- ALDA – ASSOCIATION EUROPEENNE POUR LA DEMOCRATIE LOCALE (France)
- FUNDACION EUROARABE DE ALTOS ESTUDIOS (Spain)
- FUNDACION MALDITA.ES CONTRA LA DESINFORMACION (Spain)
- Fundación Pública Andaluza Centro de Estudios Andaluces (Spain)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
- THE FACT-CHECKING FACTORY SOCIETÀ A RESPONSABILITÀ LIMITATA (Italy)
- COMUNE DI PALERMO (Italy, associated partner)
- SOLIDARITY AND OVERSEAS SERVICE MALTA (Malta)
- MINISTRY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, SECURITY, REFORMS AND EMPLOYMENT (Malta)
- FUNDACJA CENTRUM EDUKACJI OBYWATELSKIEJ (Poland)
- STOWARZYSZENIE DEMAGOG (Poland)
- NAUKOWA I AKADEMICKA SIEC KOMPUTEROWA (Poland)
