The European Commission has Introduced an updated Code of Conduct to improve the handling of illegal hate speech on online platforms. This initiative is designed to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the aim is to ensure online services operate responsibly… and comply with EU regulations. The updated Code of Conduct has been signed by several companies and platforms such as Dailymotion, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube and more.

The revised Code of Conduct focuses on several key areas. It encourages online platforms to strengthen their procedures to identify and remove content that constitutes illegal hate speech as defined in EU and national laws. Remember children, it is important what is written, but more important is who decides what constitutes hate speech.

Transparency is also a priority, the European Commission says, as the code stresses the need for platforms to provide clear information about their content moderation policies and procedures. This includes explaining to users what constitutes illegal content and how to deal with it. Users should be empowered with the tools to easily report illegal hate speech and receive timely feedback on actions taken in response to their reports.

In addition, the Code promotes cooperation between platforms, national authorities and law enforcement agencies to effectively address the spread of hate speech.

The platforms are also expected to provide regular reports detailing their efforts to combat illegal content, including data on the volume and speed of content removal.

The Committee also notes that freedom of expression is a fundamental right, but should not be used to spread hatred or violence. Illegal hate speech harms democracy and threatens values ​​such as dignity, equality and freedom.

EU rules since 2008 require countries to criminalize hate speech based on race, religion or ethnicity. Many countries have added gender, disability and sexual orientation to these laws.