Paris conference examines role of Internet in racism

The Internet's role in fuelling a worrying surge of racism across Europe was examined at an international conference in Paris Wednesday, with delegates seeking a solution balancing state regulation and freedom of expression. The two-day meeting organised by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe gathered representatives from 55 countries, key Internet companies and non-governmental organisations. OSCE chief Solomon Passy, who is also Bulgaria's foreign minister, summed up the problem by saying: 'We must not limit the freedom of expression. We must not overegulate. But we must not let the door opened to the abuses. Freedom does not mean an unrestricted right to spread hatred.' Delegates hope to find ways to track down the authors of racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic material on the web without reining in online freedoms. The debate was likely to show up differences between the position of US authorities, keen to see self-regulation play the key role, and European officials who believe governments and international law should take charge. siehe auch: OSCE-Sonderseite mit den Beiträgen, News etc.