Should We Regulate Hate Speech?

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the number of hate groups has doubled over the past two decades. There is a new generation of white nationalist groups being run by millennials, and there is an increased presence of these groups on college campuses. The United States is almost alone among Western liberal democracies in not punishing what is called hate speech — oral or written messages that “incite hatred” against a person or group on the basis of their race, religion, sex, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

This panel will examine how we as a society should seek to strike a balance protecting free speech and protecting vulnerable groups from dangerous bigotry, especially against the backdrop of rising white nationalism.

Our panelists will put US protections for free speech in a global context, examine the harms of hate speech, and address how advocates are seeking to both defend First Amendment rights and protect impacted minorities.

Panelists

Ted Koppel (Moderator), Legendary anchor of ABC News’ Nightline and the 2018 Mimi and Peter E. Haas Distinguished Visitor at Stanford University

Maina Kiai, Executive Director, InformAction and Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association

Professor Kenneth Mack, Inaugural Lawrence D. Biele Professor of Law and Affiliate Professor of History at Harvard University

Christine Sun, Associate Director and Legal and Policy Director, ACLU of Northern California