Specialized police units from Albania participated alongside 12 countries in the largest-ever coordinated operation against online hate speech, announced the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) on Monday.
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| Europol Headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands |
According to EUROPOL, the operation marked a record-breaking identification of online hate content.
“The 12 participating countries, including Albania, uncovered over 6,350 posts across 46 online platforms and 20 websites promoting violence or containing hate speech targeting various ethnic and religious groups,” stated EUROPOL.
The platforms targeted in this operation featured materials created or distributed by organizations, individuals, or groups. These materials ranged from illegal hate speech, including anti-Semitic content, to material endorsing or calling for acts of violence or terrorism.
EUROPOL experts coordinated the international action and supported national counter-terrorism police units by identifying, collecting, and referring instances of online hate speech. The agency emphasized the importance of collaboration with internet service providers in combating illegal content online, including hate speech, incitement to violence, violent extremism, and terrorism.
The operation leaned heavily on the EU Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia, which ensures that EU member states impose criminal penalties and other measures to address the dissemination of hate speech.
EUROPOL revealed that its dedicated unit of experts is responsible for detecting and investigating harmful online content, including on social media platforms. This team has recently published the report “Jihadist Propaganda on the Internet: 2023 Review,” which provides insights into the major developments in online propaganda by prominent Sunni jihadist organizations such as the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda (AQ).
Covering the period from January 1 to December 31, 2023, the report identifies the online activities of both groups during this timeframe, underlining their evolving tactics and strategies.
This operation highlights the increasing global effort to combat online hate speech and extremist content, with Albania’s involvement demonstrating its commitment to international security and law enforcement collaboration.