13th Session, Geneva, 19 and 20 November 2020 Thirteenth Session of the Forum on Minority Issues Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities Concept Note The Thirteenth session of the Forum on Minority Issues will be convened on 19 and 20 November 2020 in Palais des Nations in Geneva pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 6/15 of 28 September 2007 and resolution 19/23 of 23 March 2012. This year, the theme of the Forum is "Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities". A preparatory meeting for all participants will be organised on 18 November 2020. 1. Background Around the world, we are seeing a disturbing groundswell of xenophobia, racism and intolerance – including rising anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim hatred and persecution of Christians. Social media and other forms of communication are being exploited as platforms for bigotry. Neo-Nazi and white supremacy movements are on the march. Public discourse is being weaponized for political gain with incendiary rhetoric that stigmatizes and dehumanizes minorities, migrants, refugees, women and any so-called “other”. UN Secretary-General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech. Though social media provides a platform and opportunities for expression, association, participation and empowerment for members of national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, it unfortunately may also serve as a platform for incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence against minorities, as well as for racism and intolerance. Public discourse about individuals who are considered as ‘other’ can be weaponized for political gain with incendiary rhetoric that stigmatizes, dehumanizes and treats minorities as threats. Minorities, which can include also migrants and refugees, are not only disproportionately targeted in online hate speech, but overwhelmingly so. Some reports suggest more than three-quarters of hate speech and hate crimes target minorities in many parts of the world. Social media can in other words be used as much as a force for evil as it can be for good, particularly against the most vulnerable or marginalised whose daily life may be affected by systemic