Watch the talk show: how to discourage hate speech on social media

The EU-funded EU NEIGHBOURS EAST programme, in partnership with Teleradio Moldova, has produced a talk show on the rise of hate speech that harms both individuals and society as a whole. PromoLex expert Irina Corobcenco, influencer and activist Ludmila Adamciuc, and Young European Ambassador (YEAs) Daniel Bizdiga explored the fight against hate speech, offered insights into its impact, and provided potential solutions

As Irina Corobcenco explained, “hate speech is any form of expression that is based on prejudice and stereotypes, and promotes, justifies, or incites hate, discrimination, or violence against someone because they are different.”

Ludmila Adamciuc, a civic activist, shared her personal experience and said she became a target of online hate when she decided to openly discuss her family’s challenges and victories. “I was the target of a lot of hate speech because people are not informed /…/,” she said. “They react without analysing, based on stereotypes they’ve lived with for years.” She emphasised the importance of education and awareness campaigns to eliminate harmful stereotypes and encourage acceptance.

Daniel Bizdiga, national coordinator of the Young European Ambassadors in Moldova, spoke about international efforts to combat hate speech: “We had the opportunity to learn from experts what the hate speech is about and how to combat it,” he said, mentioning the training programme organised for young people from Eastern Partner countries by the Council of Europe.

All participants agreed on the importance of individual action. Whether through social media or other online platforms, users should actively disengage from content that spreads hate by unsubscribing from accounts that promote discrimination and refusing to share harmful content. Irina Corobcenco also noted: “We must work together, including civil society, media institutions, and authorities, to organise awareness campaigns that promote acceptance and understanding.”

Watch the full version of the talk show on EU NEIGHBOURS EAST YouTube channel link