Bridges Training Session Underscores Importance of Understanding Online Hate Speech
BRATISLAVA – As part of its mission to address the critical issue of online hate speech – a pervasive issue facing global Jewry - the EU-funded Building Bridges for Combating Antisemitism Together (Bridges) initiative held its fourth training session on Wednesday and Thursday, December 11-12.
Led by the World Jewish Congress and CEJI - A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe, in local partnership with host Council of Jewish Communities in Slovakia, the two-day event convened Jewish community representatives, public officials, and technology experts in Bratislava.
The first session of the day provided an in-depth overview of online hate speech, focusing on its definition, general standards across platforms, and the legal frameworks governing it. Aiming to incorporate the work of the EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, the session also briefly reviewed other publications including the EU-funded Networks Overcoming Antisemitism (NOA) Project reports, and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue’s publication The Fragility of Freedom: Online Holocaust Denial and Distortion, which includes an article co-authored by WJC’s Yfat Barak-Cheney, Executive Director of the Technology and Human Rights Institute (TecHRI), and Hannah Maman, Project Manager at TecHRI.
Through collaborative mapping and strategic partnerships, participants developed short-term action plans to combat antisemitic hate speech online. The event empowered local leaders with tools to monitor progress, foster collaboration across sectors, and drive meaningful change. This fourth training reinforced the Bridges project's commitment to building sustainable partnerships and promoting inclusivity, equipping Jewish communities across Europe to effectively address online hate and advocate for change.