The overarching theme of Yntymak Week 2026 was the role of young people and women in community development and peacebuilding. The session examined this theme through the lens of the digital environment: how hate speech, online aggression and toxic communications affect safety, participation of young people and women, and social cohesion.
Hate speech, bullying and aggressive communications on social media are increasingly seen as a normal part of online interactions. But what is the difference between freedom of expression, justified criticism and digital violence? Why does controversial and toxic content receive more attention and coverage? And how can local communities, content creators and public authorities work together to ensure that hate does not become the norm?
During the session, the following issues were discussed:
- the impact of hate speech, cyberbullying and toxic online communications on social cohesion and safety;
- characteristics of young people’s media consumption and the spread of polarising narratives in the digital environment;
- role of bloggers, influencers and other content creators in shaping online culture;
- gender dimension of digital violence and online attacks;
- digital environment viewed by local government: how elected officials and municipal services deal with waves of aggression on social media, while distinguishing constructive criticism from residents from online abuse and disinformation;
- balance between freedom of expression and countering harmful and violent content;
- practical approaches to developing media and information literacy, digital safety and a culture of responsible communications.
The session took place in an interactive format ‘Digital Reality Lab: Understanding Hate, Building Dialogue’. Participants attended discussions on the latest research and an open real-time dialogue involving content creators, digital rights experts, researchers and representatives of the city council.
The discussion was attended by around 90 young activists and leaders of community initiatives, bloggers, journalists, representatives of NGOs and government bodies, students, researchers, members of the academic community, and others interested in issues relating to digital security, freedom of expression and social cohesion.
