One year on...

6 July 2021 marks one year since Charities Against Hate was created. 

In July 2020, 37 UK charities met to consider how social media platforms can make their platforms more inclusive and places for connecting and debate, rather than places for hate. The group created working groups to review ethical marketing policies, create guidance for staff, volunteers and the wider Third Sector community, and work together with people who have experienced hate speech online to create recommendations for social media platforms to show how they can do better for the people and communities we support.

Over the past year, the collective has collaborated with external partners, met with MPs, politicians and governments, and produced resources and guides for charity staff and their wider communities. Some achievements and outcomes include:

• Distributed and analysed experience surveys to charity staff and communities to learn about their experiences of hate online and what can be done to stop it taking place.
• Conducted research that explores the impact of hate speech, to form a solid evidence-base on the topic, demonstrating the need to safeguard the mental health and wellbeing of people who use social media platforms.
• Lobbied MP’s to garner support and demonstrate the impact on hate online.
• Created an MP Toolkit to support anyone who would like to get in touch with their MP to share their experiences of online hate speech.
• Developed guidance to help people share their stories using #ShareYourStory.
• Created 16 product recommendations for social media companies to consider in tackling online hate. 
• Created a Guide to Best Practice in Ethical Digital Marketing & Comms Practices for charities to help them engage in ethical marketing and comms and support them in tackling hate speech. 

Here are some of the ways that the Charities Against Hate group have been using our resources and how the wider community has been sharing our message.

82% of the charities who are part of the collective say that they have used the group’s resources to inform their work and 75% say they have shared them with colleagues. One participant said, “I have learnt new skills such as analysing information from the surveys and blog writing workshop.” 

Another said, “I have learnt more about how others in the charitable sector react to online hate. Our organisation has gained more exposure and access to a range of useful resources.” 

A recent survey among participating charities overwhelmingly showed that working collectively to make a difference has been one of most appreciated aspects of being part of the group. “The meetings have been very collaborative, I feel I've been heard internally and able to give ideas and put my hand up and offer to do things.” 

Another participant said, “[The best thing about Charities Against Hate is] being able to connect with other organisations and champion the involvement of the people we serve in decision-making aspects of the project.”

There is still a long way to go before social media platforms become more equitable and safer spaces for everyone. The creation of campaigns such as #StopOnlineAbuse, #ReclaimSocial, and the continuing work of organisations such as Kick It Out and Stop Funding Hate, demonstrates that (as one participant said) “this is a huge issue, one that isn't going away, and one that lots of other people are sitting up and taking notice of - there is a real sense that people want change.”

Next steps for Charities Against Hate include an event in autumn 2021 and consideration of the future focus of the group so that people can continue to be involved on a variety of levels and our combined efforts can have maximum impact and make a real difference to our staff and the communities that we support. 

We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has been part of our network over the past year for all of your ideas and hard work. Together we can make a difference.