Get The Trolls Out
Get the Trolls Out! aims to combat discrimination and intolerance based on religious grounds in Europe with the creation of powerful counter-narratives against divisive forms of hate speech including antisemitism, anti-Muslim hate, and anti-Christian sentiment. This new phase of Get the Trolls Out! aims to build on the projects existing track record in monitoring online hate speech and using the findings to challenge the perpetrators or debunk inflammatory rhetoric. It delivers social media-based campaigns to promote key messaging and help build a healthier environment online.
Led by the Media Diversity Institute (MDI) and working with six partners across Europe, Get The Trolls Out! counters anti-religious hate speech through exposing individuals and organisations, finding and debunking dangerous narratives in the media, and educating young people how to spot and respond to online trolls.
Project objectives:
1. To empower civil society organizations across Europe to identify and highlight intolerance and xenophobia targeting minority communities including Jewish and Muslim, and Christian communities.
2. To challenge stereotypes, debunk extremist mythology and shape public opinion by developing inclusive content and leveraging traditional and new media platforms.
3. To consolidate and extend the network of human rights defenders and young activists committed to stemming the rise of intolerance and discrimination in Europe.
Key Activities:
- Media Monitoring: Monitoring of traditional and new media uncovers and anti-religious speech and discourses by public and other figures.
- Mechanisms to Publicise Complaints: When project’s monitoring efforts detect anti-religious speech and discourses in the media, the partners expose and counter them using the most appropriate mechanisms, such as articles and blog posts, letters and meetings to editors and heads of policy.
- Content Production: Videos, articles, and podcasts challenge stereotypes, debunk antisemitic and anti-Muslim narratives and give voice to personal testimonies and experiences, contributing to a wider awareness and understanding of hate speech.
- Social Media Strategy: A project-dedicated website and social media platforms are the key of the campaign, while the program partners use their websites, Facebook and Twitter pages to push out the program’s media products and launch discussion and conversation about combating anti-religious hate.
- Collaboration with CSO-led initiatives: By sharing media monitoring findings, holding workshops, and implementing joint activities with other CSOs across Europe, the programme is committed to empower civil society to identify and effectively counter xenophobia and hate speech.
Region/Country: Belgium, France, Germany, Moldova, Hungary, Poland, UK
Timeframe/dates: 2023-2025
Partners: European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA), the Independent Journalism Centre (IJC), Neue deutsche Medienmacher*innen (NdM), European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ), and Never Again Association
Website: For more information on the project visit its website: https://getthetrollsout.org
Project reports:
Get The Trolls Out! Project [Printed booklet]. Media Diversity Institute, July 2022.