Committee of Experts on online safety and empowerment of content creators and users (MSI-eSEC)
1st MSI-eSEC meeting
9-10 April 2024
2nd MSI-eSEC meeting
24-25 September 2024
3rd MSI-eSEC meeting
27-28 March 2025
- Agenda
A non-exhaustive list of relevant Council of Europe standards and other documents
Conventions
European Convention on Human Rights
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Cybercrime
- Convention on Cybercrime (ETS No. 185) [Budapest Convention]
- Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems (ETS No. 189)
- Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime on enhanced co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence (CETS No. 224)
Protection of specific groups
- Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No. 201) [Lanzarote Convention]
- Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS No. 210) [Istanbul Convention]
Counter-Terrorism
- Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (CETS No. 196)
- Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (CETS No. 217)
Protection of Personal Data
- Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (ETS No. 108) [Convention 108]
- Protocol amending the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (CETS No. 223) [Convention 108+]
Committee of Ministers Recommendations
Media and Digital Governance
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)13 on the impacts of digital technologies on freedom of expression
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)12 on electoral communication and media coverage of election campaigns
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)11 on principles for media and communication governance and Explanatory Memorandum
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2020)1 on the human rights impacts of algorithmic systems
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)2 on the roles and responsibilities of internet intermediaries
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)1 on media pluralism and transparency of media ownership
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)5 on Internet freedom
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)3 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on human rights and business
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)1 on protecting and promoting the right to freedom of expression and the right to private life with regard to network neutrality
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2015)6 on the free, transboundary flow of information on the Internet
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2014)6 on a Guide to human rights for Internet users
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)4 on the protection of human rights with regard to social networking services
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2012)3 on the protection of human rights with regard to search engines
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2011)7 on a new notion of media
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)6 on measures to promote the respect for freedom of expression and information with regard to Internet filters
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2007)16 on measures to promote the public service value of the Internet
- Recommendation Rec(2000)23 on the independence and functions of regulatory authorities for the broadcasting sector
Protection of specific groups
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)16 on combating hate speech
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on preventing and combating sexism
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)7 on Guidelines to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment;
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors;
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2013)1 on gender equality and media
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)5 on measures to protect children against harmful content and behaviour and to promote their active participation in the new information and communications environment
Declarations by the Committee of Ministers
- 2019 Declaration on the financial sustainability of quality journalism in the digital age (2019)
- 2019 Declaration on the manipulative capabilities of algorithmic processes (2019);
Guidance notes
CDMSI
- CDMSI(2023)015 Guidance Note on Countering the spread of online mis- and disinformation through fact-checking and platform design solutions in a human rights compliant manner and explanatory memorandum
- CDMSI(2021) Guidance Note on Content Moderation: Best practices towards effective legal and procedural frameworks for self-regulatory and co-regulatory mechanisms of content moderation
- CDMSI(2021)009 Guidance Note on the prioritisation of public interest content online
Studies and Reports
Article 10 of the Convention
- ECHR 2023 Guide on Article 10 – Freedom of Expression
- ECHR Knowledge Sharing platform (ECHR-KS) – Article 10
CDMSI
- DGI(2020)19 Study on Prioritisation Uncovered. The Discoverability of Public Interest Content Online
- DGI(2019)05 Study on Responsibility and AI. A study of the implications of advanced digital technologies (including AI systems) for the concept of responsibility within a human rights framework
Cybercrime
- Cybercrime Convention Committee (T-CY) 2017 Mapping Study on Cyberviolence
- Octopus Project 2023 Discussion paper Freedom of expression within the context of action on cybercrime – Practical considerations
- more
Protection of children
- Lanzarote Committee 2022 Implementation Report The protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse facilitated by information and communication technologies (ICTs): Addressing the challenges raised by child self-generated sexual images and/or videos
- Lanzarote Committee 2019 Opinion on child sexually suggestive or explicit images and/or videos generated, shared and received by children
- DGI-DGII 2021 Independent experts’ report Respecting human rights and the rule of law when using automated technology to detect online child sexual exploitation and abuse
- Council of Europe 2019 Report Two clicks forward and one click back. Report on children with disabilities in the digital environment
Gender perspective
- Commissioner for Human Rights 2022 Human Rights Comment, No space for violence against women and girls in the digital world
- EDVAW Platform 2022 Thematic paper on the digital dimension of violence against women
- 2021 Study on Protecting women and girls from violence in the digital age - The relevance of the Istanbul Convention and the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime in addressing online and technology-facilitated violence against women
Counter-Terrorism and human trafficking
- Council of Europe Counter-Terrorism Strategy (2023-2027)
- Group of Experts against Trafficking (GRETA) 2022 Study on Online and technology-facilitated trafficking in human beings (2022)
Studies and Reports European Audiovisual Observatory
- IRIS Plus 2024 Media literacy and the empowerment of users
- AVMS Note 2023 The protection of minors on VSPs: age verification and parental control
- IRIS Special 2023-2 Algorithmic transparency and accountability of digital services
- IRIS Plus 2022-3 User empowerment against disinformation online
"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression"
Art. 10 European Convention on Human Rights