Since 1995, 16 November has been observed as the International Day of Tolerance (also referred to as Tolerance Day). On this day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) adopted its Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

The focus of this internationally observed day is to promote respect and appreciation for the diverse cultures that make up the human race. On its website, UNESCO states that tolerance is also about recognising the ‘universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others’.

What occurs too often online is a disregard and even a distaste for those deemed different. Anonymous profiles and platforms that do not require a person’s real identity have given the ideal hiding place from which to throw hateful and oftentimes harmful sentiments.  

According to the Council of Europe, hate speech spreads, incites, promotes and justifies ‘hatred, violence and discrimination against a person or group of persons for a variety of reasons’.  

EU code of conduct

In an attempt to counter this phenomenon, the European Commission in 2016 agreed with major platforms, namely Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter (now X), and YouTube, on a code of conduct within the European Union. This code enables the countering of illegal hate speech online by having the platforms put several measures in place to prohibit users from posting hate speech or content that incites violence against protected groups. These measures are known by varying terms, depending on the platform:

• Terms of service, or
• Rules, or
• Community standards

Additionally, the platforms have employed more people who monitor content. Latest estimates show that around 89 per cent of flagged content is removed by the platforms within 24 hours. Since the beginning of the code of conduct in 2016, Instagram, Google+, Snapchat, TikTok, Rakuten Viber, Twitch, Dailymotion and Jeuxvideo.com have also joined the EU code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online.  

It is through awareness raising initiatives such as Tolerance Day which push such actions forward. There is a specific focus on engaging young people in the conversation in order to build a more inclusive future – both on and offline.  

One way that the Better Internet for Kids project works towards a future of more tolerance is through the annual Safer Internet Forum (SIF). This year, the focus will be on cyberbullying and harmful online content – both of which are catalysts of intolerance. Experts in these fields, as well as policy makers and youth participants, will join in discussions on how to build a safer internet which empowers, respects and educates those online. Learn more about the 2024 edition of the Safer Internet Forum here.

“On the International Day of Tolerance, let us recognise the mounting threat posed by those who strive to divide, and let us pledge to forge a path defined by dialogue, social cohesion and mutual understanding.” - Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations.