PUBLISHED | 07.09.2023 |
READING TIME | 3m |
The following statement was presented by H&CC to the Joint Committee on Children Equality, Disability and Youth on the topic of integration and refugee issues in February 2023.
This statement sets out critical and urgent steps to address and mitigate escalating hate, disinformation, polarisation causing harm, division and discord in our communities across Ireland.
1. Digital platforms are the key mechanism driving hate, disinformation, and manipulation
Meta, Twitter, TiK Tok, Youtube are systematically failing to enforce their own community standards including ignoring reported harmful content. Youtube, in particular, is assisting in the monetization of protests and H&CC has documented far right entities using payment platforms to raise funds i.e. Paypal, Stripe, GoFundMe and others. Algorithms drive the content people see – amplifying toxic and manipulative content that fosters engagement via shares, likes, views. The scale and speed of viral content circulating has been instrumental to amplifying protests, and flashpoints, resulting in multiple violent incidents and escalation of vigilante mobs. This week new research shows 78% of LGBTQ+ community in Europe faced anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime or hate speech online in the 5 years to 2020, and are disproportionately affected by digital privacy violations
Recommendation:
Government must direct digital and payment platforms to apply community standards, alter algorithms, prevent monetization, and hold them accountable for breaches and harm caused.
2. A consistent progressive narrative, reinforced by policies that advance measurable progress towards equality and inclusion, must define the government’s response in the face of threats.
A primary goal of the far right is to destroy trust in mainstream democratic institutions. – Politicians are ‘baited’ into reactive positions, driving a ‘chill effect’ in mainstream politics, normalising reactive policies and debate – leading to delegitimizing of human rights. The consequence is a self perpetuating cycle of negative policy responses, that seeks to appease perceived public discontent. Research shows clearly that the majority of people do not have fixed positions on virtually all issues – but are persuaded by dominant narratives and how policies and responses are presented to them.
Recommendation:
1. Invest in strategic communications support and avoid at all costs feeding a far right narrative including being seen to give preference to one vulnerable group over another ie people from Ukraine v’s people seeking asylum.
2. Advance a whole of government approach that responds with progressive policies to the very real problems being experienced and are being weaponized – housing, energy, cost of living, safety, sex education.
3. Government must equip local communities to respond effectively; recognising community engagement and community development as core to a prevention strategy and forming part of a broader accommodation response for refugees and people seeking asylum.
The strongest bulwark against far right attempts to polarise and cause division is strong community leadership and resilience. This needs to be led by the particular context of each community. The issues can change – housing for people seeking asylum, opposition to temporary accommodation, challenges to changes to school curriculums, blocking 5G installation. They emerge and gain ground quickly, dominating the local media cycle and community narratives, quickly assuming to reflect the majority views and interests of the community.
H&CC has supported multiple ‘rapid response’ incidents, and has noted similar trends and patterns. A critical success factor is the capacity to mobilise community leaders quickly, engage cross party political representatives and local media and provide guidance and strategic support when and where needed. The capacity to respond rapidly is critical and needs to be led by trusted community infrastructure. Rather than defining and imposing a one size fits all approach or attempting to deliver through defined structures a more responsive strategy is key. H&CC is currently documenting best practice and learning of community based responses – due March 2023.
Recommendation:
1. Substantially resource community responses, including specific supports provided by trusted organisations i.e. Community Work Ireland, capable of being quickly deployed when and where needed, alongside dedicated support in each county.
2. Government must change their approach to the rapid accommodation of people, by engaging communities as core stakeholders, conducting resource analysis, centering a rapid pre-planning process.
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