Action plan for documenting hate speech incidents by the Racist Violence Reporting Network

Description

Signal – Researching and Confronting the Far Right will contribute to the needs of the Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) by providing its expertise on monitoring hate speech, enhancing civil society capacity on the matter and striving for more societal resilience.
The RVRN consists of 52 NGOs that record racist attacks against individuals of minority groups following a uniform process. Signal recently joined RVRN, at a time when RVRN expressed its need to expand monitoring to incidents of hate speech (see attached letter of support).
Signal will draw on the RVRN’s methodology and synergies with the participating NGOs in order to prepare a strategic action plan that will be presented before the RVRN plenary. Its aim is to highlight the challenges and opportunities in monitoring hate speech and to propose concrete proposals to be used as a basis by the RVRN in the process of expanding its reporting practices.
In preparation of this action plan, Signal will engage in the following: It will gather best practices on the matter across Europe taking into consideration European, regional and international actors’ recommendations. Further, Signal will organize focus groups discussions with RVRN members in order to get their feedback on the challenges they might face in future monitoring of hate speech. The ultimate aim is to produce a conclusive proposal that the RVRN can use to reform its working methods and include hate speech monitoring in light of EU initiatives and CoE recommendations. 
The beneficiaries are identified at three levels; first, the RVRN members will enhance their existing capacities; second, the RVRN will expand its working cycle into a new field responding to the emerging challenge of hate speech, following European standards; finally, minority groups will be armored with a robust toolkit against divisive narratives and social exclusion.
Signal is the sole applicant under this call and the only actor to execute the project.
 

Summary of project results

The project aimed to address the critical challenge of monitoring and combating hate speech in the public sphere, with a particular emphasis on social media. Key challenges included:

• Inadequate Methodology for Monitoring Hate Speech. The existing RVRN methodology relied heavily on reports from its members, which was deemed insufficient for effectively capturing hate speech incidents.
• Ambiguities in Defining Hate Speech. A strict legal definition of hate speech could overlook broader societal dimensions, making it harder to analyze the phenomenon as a social indicator.
• Limited Resources and Tools. There was a lack of advanced tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to systematically record, analyze, and report hate speech incidents.
• Integration of Best Practices. There was a need to study and adapt successful practices from other European networks and organizations to tailor a suitable approach for the RVRN.
• Capacity Building and Coordination. Expanding the Network’s activities required strategic planning, coordination, and sufficient funding to involve scientific committees and adopt new technologies.

The project undertook several key activities to address the above challenges:

1. Good Practices Analysis:

   • Conducted desk research to review successful hate speech monitoring practices from four European countries (e.g., Germany and Italy).

2. Stakeholder Engagement:

   • Held six informal interviews with representatives of organizations abroad to gather insights on their methodologies and tools.
   • Conducted four online focus groups with RVRN member organizations to discuss a proposed action plan and their potential roles in its implementation.

3. Definition and Approach:

   • Developed a non-strictly legal definition of hate speech to capture its societal implications more comprehensively.

4. Action Plan Development:

   • Proposed a mixed monitoring system for recording and reporting hate speech incidents, combining:
     • AI tools for data collection and analysis.
     • Institutional collaboration with scientific bodies.
   • Emphasized a focus on social media platforms, inspired by German and Italian standards.

5. Implementation Roadmap:

   • Proposed a 2–4 year timeline for developing and implementing the system.
   • Suggested steps for gaining necessary funding and expanding the Network to include scientific committees and additional stakeholders.

The project produced significant results, benefitting the RVRN, its member organizations, and broader stakeholders engaged in combating hate speech:

1. Enhanced Understanding of Hate Speech:

   • Provided a comprehensive framework for defining and analyzing hate speech as a social indicator, broadening the scope beyond legal constraints.

2. Actionable Insights for Network Expansion:

   • Delivered a detailed action plan with clear recommendations for adopting a mixed monitoring system, leveraging both manual reporting and AI technologies.

3. Capacity Building for RVRN Members:

   • Engaged RVRN member organizations through focus groups, fostering collaboration and preparing them for an expanded role in the proposed monitoring system.

4. Adaptation of International Best Practices:

   • Integrated methodologies and standards from leading European networks, providing a tested foundation for future implementation.

5. Pathway for Sustainable Development:

   • Outlined a clear 2–4 year roadmap for funding, technical development, and strategic collaboration, ensuring the project’s long-term viability.

6. Strategic Advocacy Support:

   • Equipped participating organizations with qualitative data analysis tools and strategies to advocate more effectively against hate speech.

Beneficiaries:

• Direct Beneficiaries:
  • RVRN member organizations, which gained a robust framework for monitoring hate speech and improved advocacy tools.
• Indirect Beneficiaries:
  • Broader society, through enhanced efforts to combat hate speech and promote inclusivity.
  • Institutional stakeholders, including policymakers and scientific bodies, who now have a collaborative model to address hate speech issues comprehensively.