European Interest

MEPs: Combatting hate speech whilst ensuring media freedom

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Demonstration in memory of murdered journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, Bratislava, March 2, 2018.

Measures to fight hate speech and disinformation, without putting at risk media freedom, will be the focus of a public hearing in the Civil Liberties Committee on Wednesday, 6 November, from 15.00 to 18.30.

MEPs will pay special attention to the protection of investigative journalists. The European Parliament has closely followed this issue, particularly after the killings of Daphne Caruana Galizia (October 2017), and Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, (February 2018).

In a first session, representatives of the Council of Europe, Reporters without Borders and journalists from Hungary and Romania will share their views with the committee on media freedom, freedom of expression and the protection of journalists, followed by a debate with MEPs.

MEPs will then discuss how to deal with hate speech, both online and offline, and the spreading of false information with representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and think tanks working to address the issue.

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