ISLAMOPHOBIA REPORT

ISLAMOPHOBIA IN Italy
Apart from “Stormfront”, several other websites and blogs have been brought
to the attention of the competent authorities. The “Senzacensura” blog was blocked
for incitement to racism. 96 Other webpages, such as “Tutti i crimini degli immigrati”,
“Informare per Resistere”, “Catena Umana”, “Vox News”, “Imola Oggi”, “Il
primato nazionale” and “Losai” continue to spread false news and use inflammatory
language when reporting about Muslim people. 97 This is even more dangerous if
we think that the content of these pages often goes viral, being republished millions
of times through the use of social networks. Even though it has been recognised
that violence in the real world is often nourished by virtual misrepresentation and
false information, 98 no effective action has been taken to stem the publication of the
above-mentioned websites. 99
The most common social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have also been
host to Islamophobic messages. 100 In a recent study published in 2015, it was noted
that around 100 Islamophobic groups have been detected on Facebook. 101 UNAR,
in co-operation with the Italian Internet industry, is currently undertaking an initiative
aimed at detecting and removing hate posts targeting, among others, Muslim
people (Osservatorio di monitoraggio del Web). Moreover, some social media moderators
responsible for the Facebook version of some newspapers, such as “L’Unione
Sarda”, “Il Tirreno”, “La Nuova Sardegna” 102 and “La Stampa”, have taken a firm
stance against the spread of racist hatred through social networks and have banned
the racist comments of users on their Facebook pages. 103 The above-mentioned newspapers
understand that not only journalists, but also site publishers, web moderators
96. In this regard, see: “Chiuso Senzacensura.eu il sito che istigava al razzismo”, La Stampa, 1 September 2015,
http://www.lastampa.it/2015/09/01/tecnologia/chiuso-senzacensuraeu-il-sito-che-istigava-al-razzismo-6mQ-
QmJAExD2vFzllyDjxOJ/pagina.html.
97. For instance, see: “Non tutti I musulmani sono terroristi, ma tutti i musulmani sono jihadisti”, ImolaOggi, 20
December 2015, http://www.imolaoggi.it/2015/12/20/non-tutti-i-musulmani-sono-terroristi-ma-tutti-i-musulmani-sono-jihadisti/.
98. Paola Andrisani, “Il perverso intreccio tra odio virtuale e odio “virale””, in Terzo libro bianco sul razzismo, Lunaria,
2014, 115.
99. IDOS in partnership with CONFRONTI e UNAR, Dossier Immigrazione 2015, 252.
100. IDOS in partnership with CONFRONTI e UNAR, Dossier Immigrazione 2015, 251-252; for further information
see Andrea Ballone and Michele Sasso, “La galassia della bufala sui social network. Il grande business di chi
spaccia balle e odio”, L’Espresso, 31 March 2015, http://espresso.repubblica.it/attualita/2015/03/31/news/la-bufalae-l-odio-corre-via-social-network-1.206543.
101. “La mappa dell’intolleranza”, Vox Diritti, http://www.voxdiritti.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/mappa_razzismo.jpg.
102. In particular, Islamophobic posts followed the publication of the news concerning the arrest of Al Qaeda terrorists
in Sardinia in April 2015. See Guido Piga, “Commenti sui social, la Sardegna si divide e il mondo ne parla”,
La Nuova Sardegna, http://lanuovasardegna.gelocal.it/regione/2015/04/25/news/commenti-sui-social-la-sardegnasi-divide-e-il-mondo-ne-parla-1.11306501.
103. IDOS in partnership with CONFRONTI e UNAR, Dossier Immigrazione 2015, 251; see also: http://www.
cartadiroma.org/news/hate-speech-la-stampa-decide-di-cancellare-i-commenti-razzisti-e-bannare-gli-autori/; http://
www.cronachediordinariorazzismo.org/sempre-piu-social-sempre-meno-societa-limportanza-di-dire-basta/.
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