The project LEAD-Online addresses the need to strengthen critical thinking and digital & media literacy skills in young people, as causally linked to the low levels of reporting of and the “normalization” of hate speech online (HSO). The project will empower youth, teachers, media and social media activists in 7 countries (AT, BG, CY, HR, IT, EL, RO) to become agents of change by 1) training them to recognize hateful discourses and underlying forms of intolerance prejudices and discrimination, using a rights-based approach; 2) providing them with innovative digital tools to classify, decode and counter HSO, and 3) opening up spaces for discussion of HSO, promoting attitudes and behaviour that respect human rights and values. The project includes empirical research, co-creation of online tools, in-person and online training, and outreach activities. Target groups are young people aged 14-19, educators, journalists, social media activists, b/vloggers; civil society organizations (CSOs), Internet service providers. Through online selfassessment tools we will produce hate speech ontologies, which will be used to develop, test and evaluate an innovative interactive online game, with resources in 7 languages to identify and counter HSO. Partners will run a series of events (LEAD-Online Talks) and online creative tools to reinforce the awareness of the chilling effects of the normalization of hate speech in society. Over 4000 young people and educators will participate in interactive learning formats on human rightsbased activism against HSO. Through the online game over 3500 users will learn to denounce hate messages in an online environment. Students, youth leaders, journalists, and educators will become cocreators of proactive narratives against HSO. Over 1400 participants in more than 20 public LEAD-Online Talks will gain new awareness of the wide implications of HSO and will get access to international networks and resources for countering hate speech. More than 35,000 people across the partner countries and beyond will be reached through online communications and information about HSO.
Partners:
Sofia Development Association (SDA, Coordinator), Bulgaria
Asociatia Divers, Romania
Forma.Azione, Italy
Future Needs Management Consulting LTD, Cyprus
Hellenic Open University, Greece
ZARA - Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus Arbeit, Austria
Centar za Mir, Nenasilje i Ljudska Prava, Croatia
The project is funded by the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme.
