As internet platforms provide more opportunities for people around the world to connect, they have also provided a forum for certain groups to spread hate, fear, and abusive behavior. The deadly neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia, was organized with the use of Facebook, PayPal, and Discord. Much of the Russian attempt to influence the 2016 U.S. elections and undermine our democracy entailed spreading hateful messages through major online platforms to increase divisions based on race, ethnicity, and religion.
Some technology companies have made steps in the right direction to reduce hateful activities online, but more work needs to be done. Over the past year, the Center for American Progress, Color of Change, Free Press, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, and the Southern Poverty Law Center met with experts on terrorism, human rights, and technology around the world to gather insights on how hate operates online and how it can be stopped.
Please join the Center for American Progress, Color of Change, Free Press, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, and the Southern Poverty Law Center for a discussion of their findings, as well as the announcement of a set of recommended corporate policies and terms of service to ensure that social media platforms, payment service providers, and other internet-based services are not places where hateful activities and extremism can grow. These policies will be released to the public for the first time on this day. Panelists will share key elements of the policies and urge technology companies to adopt them in order to reduce hate on their platforms.
Welcome:
Neera Tanden, President and CEO, Center for American Progress
Panelists:
Jessica J. González, Deputy Director and Senior Counsel, Free Press
Heidi Beirich, Intelligence Project Director, Southern Poverty Law Center
Brandi Collins-Dexter, Senior Campaign Director, Media, Democracy & Economic Justice, Color of Change
Moderator:
Henry Fernandez, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress