BRUSSELS: The European Parliament will examine the growing threat posed by gendered disinformation campaigns against women in public life, with experts set to warn about the impact of online abuse, coordinated manipulation and hate speech on democratic participation.
The issue will be discussed at a public hearing of the Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield on November 3 as part of the institution’s Gender Equality Week.
The hearing, titled “Disinformation campaigns and their impact on democratic resilience: the case of women in public life”, will examine how coordinated online campaigns targeting women are undermining democratic inclusiveness and potentially driving women out of public debate and political office.
Benjamin Shultz, lead researcher at the American Sunlight Project and Data Research Fellow at Agora Digitale Transformation, and Carlien Scheele, director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), are among the invited experts.
The hearing will assess the distinct characteristics and consequences of disinformation campaigns targeting women, identify the actors behind them and explore possible responses to protect women’s political rights.
Gendered disinformation is not a new phenomenon, but its reach and impact have increased with the use of new technologies and social media platforms, according to the committee’s briefing.
Such campaigns, often accompanied by online gender-based violence and hate speech, can contribute to offline violence and create an environment of intimidation and insecurity, discouraging women from participating in public life.
The European Parliament’s initiative comes amid wider European efforts to strengthen democratic resilience against foreign interference, manipulation and the misuse of digital platforms.
The hearing will form part of the work of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield, which is examining measures to protect democratic institutions and public participation against emerging threats.
The committee meeting is scheduled from 11 am to 1 pm on November 3 at the European Parliament’s Spinelli building in Brussels.
