A first-of-its-kind international symposium is scheduled to take place in Bratislava, Slovakia on Thursday, where 14 nations, including Israel, are slated to discuss how to effectively combat online incitement in general and particularly incitement to violence and terrorism.
The conference, a product of an Israeli Knesset initiative, will be attended by dozens of parliamentarians from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Switzerland, as well as academic and cyber experts. Representatives of computing and internet giants such as Facebook, Google, and Microsoft were also expected to attend.
The European Union has recently enacted strict regulations, imposing fines of up to €20 million ($23 million) on internet companies that violate users' privacy in the 28-member bloc. The conference seeks to explore ways to counter online incitement, given these new regulations.
Zionist Union MK Revital Swid, who heads the Knesset Lobby for Virtual Space and Social Networks, will represent Israel in the conference, alongside MKs Amir Ohana (Likud), Yossi Yonah (Zionist Union) and Yifat Shasha-Biton (Kulanu).
"The idea of calling the conference was born when Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein and I visited Slovakia a year ago," Swid told Israel Hayom.
"The goal is to join forces with internet giants and to work, through legislation and joint initiatives, against it [online incitement]," she continued. "We hear about terrorist activities inspired by social media every day, as well as the terrible shaming of minors and incitement by keyboard bullies. It's time to put an end to it."
"The conference will present local and global initiatives to counter threats, incitement and cyberbullying. We will not allow internet giants to evade their responsibility on this issue," she said.
Edelstein sent conference participants a video message saying, "As policymakers, we are committed to preserving our citizens' rights to freedom of speech and expression, as well as to privacy and security. We must find a way to balance the two."
