Intervention by Kenstroll Breizh 13th Minority Forum Hate speech, social networks and minorities November 19, 2020 Point 3: International legislative and institutional frameworks Madam Chairperson, Mr. Special Rapporteur, Ladies and Gentlemen, We represent a collective of young Breton people who campaign for the defense of the languages of Brittany as well as for the promotion of Breton culture. We are part of generations Y and Z, born with the internet as a pervasive reality in our daily lives. We have therefore evolved in an environment where such hate speech is familiar to us, although we are aware that other minorities are more affected by this than us. Recent terrorist events, which have affected France in particular, have given rise to racist and Islamophobic comments, particularly on social networks, and it is obvious that a legislative system needs to be put in place to respond to them. However, Ladies and Gentlemen, we are extremely worried about the legislative and executive responses of States, and particularly of the French government, which imposes laws that kill freedom in the name of security and the fight against hatred. Thus, in France, several laws which have been recently adopted or which are currently under discussion seem to us to threaten the freedoms of opinion and expression, and can be easily abused to silence opposition, as well as minorities.