Written question WQ83671

On 15 June 2021, we published our Programme for Government, which includes a commitment to work with social media and tech companies to tackle hate crime and misinformation online. We are currently engaging with stakeholders specialising in these areas as part of the groundwork for conversations with social media and tech companies during this Senedd term.

We are, meanwhile, already supporting this commitment through a number of actions:

• Our Hate Crime in Schools Project is providing critical thinking, anti-hate crime and misinformation training to pupils and teachers in approximately 160 schools across Wales before March 2022.

• Our Hate Hurts Wales campaign has a specific focus on online hate and encourages the reporting of it.

• During Hate Crime Awareness Week 2021, the National Hate Crime Report and Support Centre, which is funded by Welsh Government, hosted an online conference: ‘The Online Hate Phenomenon’.

• To support public and third sector partners throughout the pandemic, Welsh Government communications professionals worked with communications colleagues across Wales to share countering misinformation toolkits, created with Public Health Wales. The team hosted workshops to discuss wider approaches including case studies from regions. Following the workshops, increased demand led the team to produce additional resources and supporting materials. Many partners have since confirmed that they have now included managing misinformation within their strategic communications strategies.

• We have advised our social media followers on how to identify misinformation, such as vaccine invitations and NHS COVID Pass scams.

• We have updated social media house rules to help counter hate and misinformation, this includes reporting hate speech and misinformation to social media platforms.

• Welsh Government and the Football Association of Wales have collaborated on educational resources aimed at tackling online hate towards girls and women.