Hate is not an opinion - hold media organisations accountable for the comment sections they refuse to moderate on social media - Petitions
Hate is not an opinion - hold media organisations accountable for the comment sections they refuse to moderate on social media
Public petition n°3761
Petitioner: Vicky Lone Wishof
This petition is available in other languages:
Purpose of the petition
Many high-reach media organisations based in Luxembourg regularly publish articles on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others - while allowing hateful and discriminatory comments to remain visible beneath their posts. We are calling for a clear legal obligation to actively moderate these comment sections and to report illegal content to the police. Media organisations must no longer be allowed to watch in silence without consequences. We demand that the press in Luxembourg be legally required to: - actively monitor the comments under their articles on social media - remove hateful or discriminatory content immediately - report clearly illegal comments to law enforcement or the judiciary - inform users of their responsibilities and platform conduct rules when violations occur - stop profiting from online hate through algorithmic engagement boosts This petition does not target the platforms themselves, but specifically the media organisations that use them actively to distribute news content. Publishing publicly means taking responsibility for what happens under your name. The law must clearly state that doing nothing in the face of digital hate is no longer acceptable - and must carry consequences.
Reason for the petition
When the press stays silent, it creates a digital environment where hate thrives - and that spills over into real life. Under articles about inclusion, migration or equality, we keep seeing ableist, racist and dehumanising comments. They're left online for hours, sometimes days - often on purpose, just to boost engagement. If a media outlet lets hate spread in its comment section, it's not neutral. It's part of the problem. Looking away means agreeing. Staying silent means enabling. This isn't about free speech - it's a failure to protect people who are being publicly attacked. And when hate goes unchallenged, it spreads. It becomes normal. It divides our society, hardens opinions, and lays the foundation for violence - online and offline. It doesn't just hurt the people targeted. It affects all of us. That's why we demand real consequences: If the press uses social platforms to reach the public, it must also take responsibility for what happens there. If it refuses to act, it should be held accountable - morally, socially and by law.
Signatures collection ongoing
The 5500 threshold represents the number of signatures required to give rise to a public debate.
Registered signatures
1 / 5 500
Key information
Signature collection
Submission date
31/07/2025
Opening of the signature collection
18/09/2025
Additional information
Petition background
Petition signatories
18/09/2025
The public petition n°3761 is open for signature, on 18-09-2025
17/09/2025
Statement of admissibility
17/09/2025
The public petition n°3761 was declared admissible by the Committee on Petitions on 17-09-2025
Admissibility: admissible Start date of the signature period: 18-09-2025 at 0:00 a.m. End date of the signature period: 29-10-2025 at 11:59 p.m.
17/09/2025
The Committee on Petitions issued an opinion positive regarding the public petition n° 3761, on 17-09-2025
Opinion of the Committee on Petitions: positive
31/07/2025
The petition public n°3761 is submitted the 31-07-2025
Title of the petition: Haass ass keng Meenung - Konsequenzen fir Pressesäiten déi Kommentarer op de soziale Medie net moderéieren Aim of the petition: Vill Pressesäite mat héiger Reechwäit a Sëtz zu Lëtzebuerg poste reegelméisseg Artikelen op de soziale Medien wéi Facebook, Instagram a co - an toleréieren ënnert dësen haassvoll an diskriminéierend Kommentarer. Mir fuerderen eng kloer gesetzlech Verflichtung fir d'Moderatioun vun esou Kommentarer an d'Meldung un d'Police. Presseorganer dierfen net méi ouni Konsequenze just nokucken. Mir fuerderen, datt d'Press zu Lëtzebuerg gesetzlech verflicht gëtt: - Kommentarer ënner hiren Artikelen op de soziale Medie konsequent z'iwwerwaachen - haassvoll oder diskriminéierend Inhalter direkt ze läschen - offensichtlech strofbar Kommentarer un d'Police oder d'Justiz ze mellen - Benotzer:innen bei Verstéiss op hir Verantwortung an Netiquette hinzeweisen - net méi vun Online-Haass duerch algorithmesch Verstäerkung ze profitéieren D'Petitioun riicht sech net géint d'Plattforme selwer, mee explizitt géint déi Presseorganer, déi dës Plattformen aktiv als Kanal fir hir Noriichten notzen. Wien ëffentlech publizéiert, muss och Responsabilitéit iwwerhuelen. D'Gesetz muss kloer definéieren, dass näischt maachen bei digitalem Haass net ouni Konsequenz däerf bleiwen. Motivation of the general interest of the petition: Déi passiv Haltung vun der Press schaaft e Klima vun digitaler Gewalt, wat sech och op dat allgemengt gesellschaftlecht Zesummeliewen negativ auswierkt. Besonnesch bei sensibelen Themen wéi Inklusioun, Migratioun oder Gläichberechtegung fënnt een ëmmer erëm ableistesch, rassistesch oder mënscheveruechtend Kommentarer, déi stonnen- oder deeglaang online bleiwen - heiansdo bewosst, fir méi Reechwäit ze generéieren. Wien et zouléisst, dass ënner senge Bäiträg Haass géint ganz Bevëlkerungsgruppen verbreet gëtt, mécht sech matverantwortlech. Nëmmen nokucken ass wéi zoustëmmen. Pressesäiten, déi näischt ënnerhuelen, wann hir Kommentarsektiounen zu Plattforme vu Mënscheveruechtung ginn, droen dozou bäi, dass Haass gesellschaftsfäeg gëtt. Wien näischt seet, wann Mënsche systematesch degradéiert ginn, mécht mat. Dat ass keng Meenungsfräiheet méi, mee eng ënnerloosse Schutzverantwortung géintiwwer deenen, déi viséiert ginn. Wann Haass net gestoppt gëtt, verbreet en sech. E gëtt als normal ugeholl. E spléckt d'Gesellschaft, radikaliséiert d'Diskussiounskultur a schaaft de Buedem fir Gewalt - och ausserhalb vum Internet. D'Konsequenzen treffen net nëmmen déi, déi ugegraff ginn - mee eis alleguer. Dofir brauche mir kloer Konsequenzen: Wien eng Plattform notzt, fir Noriichten ze verbreeden, muss och Verantwortung iwwerhuelen. Wien dat net mécht, soll haften - moralesch, gesellschaftlech a juristesch.
