Unpacking online hate speech and piecing together its international legal framework.
Hate speech is not a new phenomenon. But in the digital age, its impact within and beyond national borders has been unprecedented. Paradoxically, applicable rules of international law are scattered, outdated, and underexplored. This project aims to fill that gap by assessing the international responsibilities of states, corporations, and individuals to refrain from, prevent, or redress online hate speech.
The Project
‘Just Speech’ is a research project based at Jesus College, University of
Oxford. It explores the phenomenon of online hate speech and how it is and can be regulated in international law. The project aims to:
Unpack the different ways in which speech can be used to spread hate or cause harm to individuals;
Piece together the rules of international law that apply to different types of online hate speech – from human rights instruments to international crimes;
Advise governments, online platforms, users and civil society organisations on their legal responsibilities and the means to discharge them, from content moderation to counter-speech
Meet our Team
‘Just Speech’ is led by Dr Talita Dias, the Shaw Foundation Research Fellow in Law at Jesus College, University of Oxford, in partnership with the Oxford Institute for Ethics Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC), based at the Blavatnik School of Government.
News & Events
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On 23 September 2021, Dr Talita Dias gave oral evidence on ‘online safety and...
On 14 October 2021, Dr Talita Dias was interviewed by Emma Barnett...
On 19 October 2021, the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict...
Research & Publications
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