As VOX-Pol’s March workshop in Budapest on the role of social media and internet companies in responding to violent online political extremism draws nearer, its exciting line-up of speakers is continuing to grow. Twitter will be there along with representatives from other social media giants.
Rebecca MacKinnon, former CNN Bureau Chief, blogger, and co-founder of Global Voices Online is also among the speakers. On 27 January MacKinnon testified on ‘The Evolution of Terrorist Propaganda’ at the US House Committee in Foreign Affairs (Sub-Committee on Non-Proliferation and Trade). Read the full testimony here.
Among other confirmed speakers are:
BERTRAND DE LA CHAPELLE, DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNET & JURISDICTION PROJECT
GILL PHILLIPS, DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE GUARDIAN
ÉVA SIMON, HUNGARIAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
LUCY PURDON, INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS & BUSINESS
GREGORY ASMOLOV, LSE
JIM KILLOCK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPEN RIGHTS GROUP
JOAN BARATA MIR, PRINCIPAL ADVISER TO THE OSCE REPRESENTATIVE ON FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA
RIKKE FRANK JØRGENSEN, THE DANISH INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
SEJAL PARMAR, CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY
ANTOINE BUYSE, UTRECHT UNIVERSITY
The Budapest workshop will be a timely event, given the Joint Statement of EU Ministers for Interior and Justice issued in the wake of the attacks in Paris which expressed concern at the “increasingly frequent use of the Internet to fuel hatred and violence.” It further stated that “the partnership of the major Internet providers is essential to create the conditions of a swift reporting of material that aims to incite hatred and terror and the condition of its removing, where appropriate/possible.”
In response, concerns over freedom of expression and privacy have been expressed, especially over the potential for increased surveillance. In order to respond to the complexities of violent online extremism in ways that respect freedom of expression, privacy and security, there needs to be a better understanding of the ways in which the internet is governed, the role of technology companies as political intermediaries as well as the meaning and scope of relevant human rights, particularly freedom of expression. VOX-Pol’s March workshop in Budapest aims to pave the way for achieving such an understanding.
Those interested in attending the workshop should email workshop@voxpol.eu with ‘Budapest Workshop’ in the subject line.