During the webinar, “Youth Engagement in Combating Hate Speech”, held on Monday 29 September, Executive Director of Media Policy and Public Affairs at WAN-IFRA, Elena Perotti, in collaboration with ECHR , a partner organization, offered a comprehensive presentation of the project C.H.A.S.E to an audience exceeding 150 attendees.
A few weeks later, the C.H.A.S.E consortium met in Nicosia during the month of October for a two-day training of trainers featuring reflections on the newly developed ICT tool, currently being tested, and in-depth conversations on the comprehensive framework to combat hate speech. The participants and speakers discussed the nature of hate speech, its root causes, its trends, and methods to curb it. The meeting discussed the forthcoming code of conduct for media houses, which aims to help curb the spread of hate speech. The training set the stage for further in-country trainings that will be held in the upcoming months to share the knowledge and knowhow among local media actors.
C.H.A.S.E brings together media professionals, legal experts, technologists, and civil society organizations from 5 European countries: Cyprus, Belgium, France, Greece, and Italy. It engages a powerful local, cross-sectoral coalition of 9 organizations led by the Media Diversity Institute Global (MDIG), and including WAN-IFRA, Symplexis, Proto Thema, the European Centre for Human Rights (ECHR), the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), Alpha Cyprus, CESIE and ITML.
C.H.A.S.E. is grounded in local research analytics and has adopted a comprehensive approach to support the different actors in tackling the complex angles of online gender-based hate speech. The project is premised on the understanding that online media platforms are both arenas for hate speech and essential actors in its prevention, while many lack the tools, policies, or training to effectively moderate harmful content.
Research Underpinning
The project kicked off with research activities on legal analysis, content monitoring, and stakeholder consultation findings that resulted in three core publications aimed at developing better strategies and tools for identifying, preventing, and addressing online hate speech in digital media spaces.
The report: “Online hate speech on the grounds of gender/gender identity: legal framework analysis and mapping of existing response practices” is a legal and policy analysis based on findings from in-depth national reports and an international workshop with media professionals and stakeholders in Greece, Cyprus, France and Italy. The work highlighted gaps in legislation and enforcement, providing recommendations for stronger legal protections and better training for justice and law enforcement professionals.
In Greece, for example, while laws exist to combat racist and xenophobic speech, gender is not explicitly recognized as a protected characteristic. Similarly, Italy’s Mancino Law from 1993 about hate speech and discrimination does not cover gender identity, leaving vulnerable groups with limited legal recourse. In Cyprus, fragmentation of laws addressing hate speech and vague definitions create a challenging environment, and the current legal framework does not adequately address sexism, misogyny, or transphobia online and offline. Although the law in France protects freedom of expression and has addressed hate speech through adaptations, the challenge lies in the extent to which internet users could actually be pursued.
The full report further details each country’s case, the laws and jurisprudence based on which hate speech could be contained.
During the international workshop held online in July 2024, participants raised concerns about the rise in targeted campaigns against the LGBTQI+ community, the exploitation of vulnerability of women reporters to online attacks, and the chilling effect of harassment on journalistic freedom. User-friendly technology, multilingual support, and clear definitions and legal guidelines are central to improving the state of platforms and the experience of users.
The research showed that online hate speech on the grounds of gender and gender identity is widespread across Europe and displays alarming trends:
- Hate speech is often triggered by real-world events such as Pride parades, legislative debates, or viral social media trends.
- Victims, namely women, LGBTQI+ individuals, and migrants, frequently underreport incidents due to fear, mistrust in authorities, or lack of awareness.
- Legal frameworks across the EU are inconsistent, with many countries lacking specific protections against gender-based hate speech.
The project produced two additional key research works that offer actionable insights for media professionals, civil society, legal experts, and policymakers.
“Online Hate Speech Patterns in Media Platforms’ Comments Sections” examines how hate speech manifests in the comment sections of major online media platforms. The findings reveal persistent patterns of misogyny and transphobia and offer insights for moderators and media organisations aiming to foster inclusive dialogue.
The report “Needs Analysis Report for Online Media“ outlines the needs and challenges faced by online media in identifying and tackling gender-based hate speech. It combines qualitative analysis, focus group insights, and stakeholder interviews. The findings informed the development of the real-time ICT tool to support media in addressing hateful content.
Next Phase: Capacity Building and Awareness
The project emphasizes education and collaboration. It offers training to journalists, moderators, and legal experts. It helps raise public awareness on the problem and fosters cross-border cooperation between media, civil society, and EU institutions.
The innovation C.H.A.S.E brings lies in its technical solution development components.
C.H.A.S.E contributes to providing what the majority of online users still prefer: a safe and inclusive online space free from hate speech. Indeed the Oxford University published earlier this year a global survey of 13,500 respondents aged 16-69, showing that the majority of users preferred harmful social media content such as physical threats and defamation to be restricted, favouring safety over unbound freedom of expression.
A key output of the C.H.A.S.E project is the development of an AI-powered moderation tool designed to help online media platforms detect, moderate, and report hate speech in real time. The tool uses advanced machine learning algorithms to analyse text, recognize patterns, and classify content, while respecting freedom of expression and privacy laws. The launch happened during a co-creation workshop in July 2025 where different media houses from across the represented countries gave input on the design.
As of October 1, 2025 partner media outlets in several EU countries have started testing the tool in real-world settings, ensuring it is practical, user-friendly, and effective before broader rollout. On October 9 and 10, a training of trainers was held in Nicosia, Cyprus, where partners were informed of and trained on the application of the ICT tool. They also covered the legal and social intricacies of hate speech. This was done ahead of the trainings to be held across the different countries in the upcoming conclusive months of the project.
Final Steps
The consortium partners are working closely with different in-country media houses to test the tool in real-time on their platforms and provide key reports. Along with the different media houses, the partners will hold in-country trainings to discuss the application of the ICT tool. They will equally share contextualized knowledge to understand and address hate speech across the EU information space. By December 2025 these trainings will have been offered to allow interested online media to adopt the C.H.A.S.E tool and use it independently.
The project will wrap-up in January 2026 in Brussels, where it all started and where we will continue to make efforts to incorporate recommendations in European legislation.
C.H.A.S.E is more than a research and development initiative. It is a call for action and proof that technical solutions for online safety are there when there is the will. By combining legal insight, technological innovation, and media engagement, C.H.A.S.E aims to create a safer, more inclusive European digital public sphere. As online hate continues to evolve, so must our responses.
Funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the awarding authority can be held responsible for them. [Project number: 101143159]