{"id":16005,"date":"2020-12-17T11:05:48","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T11:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/epi.org.mk\/post\/16005"},"modified":"2024-10-14T02:50:05","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T00:50:05","slug":"%d1%81%d0%be%d1%86%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0%d0%bb%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%82%d0%b5-%d0%bc%d0%b5%d0%b4%d0%b8%d1%83%d0%bc%d0%b8-%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%be%d0%b7%d0%bc%d0%be%d0%b6%d0%b8%d1%98%d0%b0-%d1%81%d0%bb%d0%be%d0%b1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epi.org.mk\/sq\/post\/16005?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Social media created the opportunity for free expression, but at the same time opened a space for spreading hatred and misinformation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Social media have exponentially increased opportunities for free expression, but they have also opened up new challenges. They enabled easier communication locally and globally, connected users and enabled them to promote and achieve common goals. On the other hand, social media have opened up space for the spread of hate speech and misinformation. Creating and implementing appropriate policies to address these challenges has become a topic of transnational importance.<\/p>\n

These were some of the topics discussed at the event “Freedom of expression on the Internet –\u00a0 Common Challenge for the EU and North Macedonia”<\/em><\/strong> which took place on December 10 through the ZOOM platform and at Europe House, organized by the European Policy Institute – Skopje. With this event, EPI also celebrated the International Human Rights Day.<\/p>\n

The speakers on the panel discussion were Alexandar Melamed<\/strong> – Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia, Mladen Chadikovski<\/strong> – Association of Journalists of Macedonia, Meelika Hirmo<\/strong> \u2013 SALTO Participation & Information Resource Center from Estonia and Elida Zylbeari<\/strong> – \u00a0Metamorphozis Foundation, as well as the students Darko Berovski<\/strong> and Jehona Palloshi<\/strong>. The discussion was moderated by EPIs Project Assistant, Ardita Vejseli<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The students Darko Berovski and Jehona Palloshi presented the negative and positive sides of the Internet, as conclusions from the online discussions with young people aged 18 to 24, which EPI organized and held on December 3, 2020.<\/p>\n

Berovski presented the positive aspects of the Internet, such as access to a large amount of information that people did not know before; learning new languages; easier communication with other people around the world, something that would be impossible without the Internet; allowing small businesses to advertise their work and make it easier to get information from important events. Palloshi, on the other hand, presented the negative aspects of the Internet such as Internet addiction and the negative impact on mental health; comparing people with others which negatively affects their self-perception; misuse of personal data in various ways, spreading hate speech, virtual violence and abuse of freedom of expression; spreading political propaganda; reduced restrictions on what is posted online.<\/p>\n

Alexandar Melamed<\/strong> from the Delegation of the European Union in North Macedonia pointed out that in all debates in the EU on the measures to be taken to address the problems, there was a debate on how not to violate freedom of expression through the regulation. The EU’s incentive is increasingly focused on promoting self-regulation rather than further legal regulation. He also presented the efforts and activities the EU has undertaken over the years, such as the launch of the EU Internet Forum in 2015 which provides a voluntary framework for the industry to cooperate in deleting terrorist content; signing of the Code of Conduct in 2016 with the 4 largest companies (Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube) used to delete illegal content on the Internet which violates the laws of the EU or member states; \u00a0the 2018 European Commission recommendation to help IT companies develop tools to address the challenges of freedom of expression in particular, and the EU Action Plan against disinformation, which includes a platform for a rapid alert system.<\/p>\n

“When it comes to freedom of expression, in order to protect it as a human right, we need a comprehensive approach, we need all of us, civil society, the authorities, businesses and the IT industry to raise awareness and do its part to protect this right, as a universal right. “<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t