Programme

4.15 pm
Registration and welcome

Presentation of an exhibition entitled “Això (no) és real” [“This is (not) real”], livened up by the BCN Anti-rumour Network

4.45 pm
Official opening of the Conference
Ada Colau, mayor of Barcelona

5 pm
Round table 1:
“Bans on hate speech: a threat to freedom of expression?”

Legal means are a tool for combatting hate speech in social networks. By the same token, restricting hate speech could also endanger freedom of expression. Even so, under the European framework for human rights, freedom of expression is not an absolute right and often clashes with human dignity and the right to non-discrimination. This debate will be discussed in detail during the conference and limits to freedom of expression will be explored as a necessary starting point for establishing a responsible strategy in the fight against hate speech in social networks.

Moderator: Esther Vera, editor of the newspaper Ara.
Speakers: Eric Heinze, professor of Law and Humanities at Queen Mary University of London; Olga Jubany, lecturer at the University of Barcelona and Gavin Phillipson, professor at the University of Durham.

6.30 pm
Main speech
Laurie Penny, British author, journalist, essayist and bloguer.

8 pm
End of the first day

9 am
Round table 2:
“Potential and limits to legal means as a strategy for combatting hate speech on social media”

The anonymity, immediacy, immeasurability and transnationality of social networks raise important challenges for the legal fight against hate speech and protecting victims: problems with identification, data requirements, conflicts of jurisdiction, etc. The conference will explore these challenges from not just legal and policy perspectives but also the points of view of the victims of hate speech.

Moderator: Juan Luis Sánchez, sub-editor of eldiario.es.
Speakers: Laia Serra, lawyer at the Barcelona Observatory against Homophobia; Esteban Ibarra, president of the Movement against Intolerance and César Strawberry, writer, composer, singer and spokesperson of the group Def Con Dos.

10.30 am
Coffee break

11 am
Round table 3:
“Social networks and hate speech: perspectives in the light of victims’ experiences”

Limiting hate speech also represents a challenge for the social network platforms. The large number of messages that are managed and the delicate balance between commitment to freedom of expression and restriction of abusive content make it hard for social network platforms to fight against this problem. But insufficient moderation in networks has consequences for victims. The conference will explore the difficulties encountered by the platforms as well as the impact that the lack of moderation has on victims.

Moderator: Sergi Picazo, chief editor and founding member of El Crític.
Speakers: Kira O’Connor, head of public policy at Twitter; Fatiha El Mouali, spokesperson from the Catalan Unity Against Fascism and Racism platform and Helios Fernández, co-author and person in charge of documentation of the Guía de recursos contra el antigitanismo, a manual of resources for combating discrimination against the gypsy community.

12.30 pm
Parallel workshops (see the “Workshops” section descriptions)

2 pm
Free time for lunch

3.30 pm
Round table 4:
“Cities against hate: strategies from local areas”

Cities are currently an important space for political and social transformations as well as a privileged place for positive community life between various groups. The fact that cities constitute key places for citizen action and social innovation makes them ideal spaces for combatting the prejudices that underlie online hate speech. The conference will explore the potential of cities to fight against hate speech in social networks as well as the challenges they face, and identify strategies that can be implemented locally.

Moderator: Gemma Pinyol, expert on the European Council’s “Intercultural Cities” programme and coordinator of the Spanish Network of Intercultural Cities (RECI).
Speakers: Emilia Saiz, assistant secretary-general to United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG); Irena Guidikova, department director at the European Council and coordinator of the “Intercultural Cities” programme; Gavan Titley, senior lecturer at the University of Maynooth and Aida Guillén, director of Citizen Rights and Diversity Services, Barcelona City Council.

5 pm
The Conference in images
Clousure of the Conference
Jaume Asens, fourth deputy mayor of Barcelona City Council. Area of Citizen Rights, Participation and Transparency

5.30 pm
End of the second day