Hate speech should not become the norm, Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights, Maria Stylianou Lottidi, told CNA on Sunday, on the occasion of the information and awareness campaign against hate speech and misinformation her office is pursuing, sending a clear message that misinformation and hate speech “must stop.”
The information and awareness campaign against hate speech and misinformation, implemented by the Office of the Commissioner for Administration and Human Rights, has been ongoing since last June and will continue vigorously, according to Lottidi, with new interventions every two months.
Speaking to CNA, the Commissioner said that this is a multifaceted campaign aimed at highlighting the dangers posed by toxic practices in public discourse, especially on social media.
She noted that the campaign was reinforced during the pre-election period and is now continuing with new interventions.
According to Lottidi, during June and July, posters with messages against hate speech were placed in public spaces and on roadside billboards, noting that “although these have now been removed, the action continues with the distribution of printed material to government agencies and posts on social media.”
“We wanted to send a clear message that misinformation and hate speech must stop,” said the Commissioner, stressing that this is a pan-European phenomenon, which is also being addressed at the European level.
Responding to a question, Lottidi said that the campaign has already received positive feedback from abroad, as it is being implemented in collaboration with Equinet, the European Network of Equality Bodies, and has been recognised as good practice by Cyprus' partners abroad.
She also said that despite the absence of official cooperation with ministries, there has been a positive response from institutions, with the Cyprus Police reproducing the campaign's messages through its own social media channels.
“The response from other services was similar, supporting the dissemination of the message,” she added.
According to the Commissioner, the campaign will continue with new stages every two months, while her Office is monitoring the impact of the actions with a view to enhancing their effectiveness.
CNA