A/67/326 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 66/144 of 19 December 2011 on global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (A/CONF.189/12 and Corr.1). The Assembly requested the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, within his mandate, to continue giving particular attention to the negative impact of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance on the full enjoyment of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. 2. The current report builds upon the previous reports of the Special Rapporteur, in which he touched upon the issues related to the use of new information technologies, including the Internet, for disseminating racist ideas, hate messages and inciting racial hatred and violence. It also builds upon the reports of the previous mandate holders, taking into account recent developments and information gathered through consultations with relevant stakeholders and research conducted by the Special Rapporteur. 3. The report should be considered as a preliminary examination of the issue of racism and the Internet, and the Special Rapporteur intends to explore this topic further in a follow-up report. The next study on the topic will involve consultations with States, regional and international organizations and non-State actors, and will seek to identify possible good practices in combating the use of the Internet to propagate racism, racial hatred, xenophobia, racial discrimination and related intolerance, and in promoting the use of such technologies to contribute to the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. 4. In the present report, the Special Rapporteur illustrates the key trends and challenges posed by the use of the Internet to propagate racism, racial hatred, xenophobia, racial discrimination and related intolerance (section III); provides an overview of legal and policy frameworks and measures taken at national, regional and international levels (section IV); presents possible measures for combating the use of the Internet to propagate racism, racial hatred, xenophobia, racial discrimination and related intolerance (section V); and highlights the potential role and positive contribution of the Internet as an effective tool for combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (section VI). The conclusions and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur are outlined in section VII. 5. In section II, the Special Rapporteur refers to the activities he has undertaken since his appointment by the Human Rights Council as the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur A. Country visits 6. The Special Rapporteur would like to thank the Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Government of the Sudan and the Government of 4 12-46982