BACL Annual Webinar: The Regulation of Hate Speech Online and its Enforcement in a Comparative Perspective

The British Association of Comparative Law will hold their annual seminar online on 'The Regulation of Hate Speech Online and its Enforcement in a Comparative Perspective' on 31 August at 9:30-11:30 am BST.

Regulators around the world are grappling with the problem of hate speech online. Regional differences in conceptions of dignity, equality, and liberty, rooted in different historical experience, are reflected in conceptions of hate speech, harm, and the appropriate role of state and private actors. In light of these historical regional differences, and their continuing relevance, one may ask how common approaches to the problem of regulating speech online can emerge.

In this context, speakers will discuss a common set of problems concerning the relationship between governmental actors and private platforms in shaping agendas and narratives online and promoting or supressing online speech. They will consider a wide range of tools and strategies, used both by governmental and private actors, to promote or supress speech that, while not criminal, is considered illegitimate by those actors. Insights into the Chinese, English, EU, American and German approaches will bring different perspectives together and highlight techniques and factors of legal development.

There will be time for an online discussion and a Q&A with the audience.

Chairs

Dr Oliver Butler (Oxford University) and Dr Sophie Turenne (Cambridge University)

Speakers

• Dr Ge Chen (Durham University)
• Dr Peter Coe (University of Reading)
• Professor Thomas Hochmann (Paris Nanterre University)
• Professor Mathias Hong (The University of Public Administration in Kehl)
• Professor Andrew Kenyon and Dr Anjalee de Silva (University of Melbourne)
• Professor Uta Kohl (Southampton University)
• Dr Jacob Rowbottom (Oxford University)

Register to attend