UNWE Will Explore the Right to Freedom of Speech on a Global Scale by New Project under the National Scientific Programme VICHREN-2024

On 6 January 2025 the implementation of the project No. КП06-ДВ/6 of December 17,2024 - The Online/Offline Divide: Can Pre-Digital Law Govern the Online World? Focus on freedom of expression at the Meta Oversight Board was launched. It is funded by the National Scientific Programme VICHREN-2024, Research Fund at the Ministry of Education and Science. For the UNWE it is the first project under the National Scientific Programme VICHREN. The project has a duration of 60 months and a total budget of 788 700 BGN. The Project Head is Dr. Bilyana Petkova. Prior to joining the research team at the UNWE Dr. Petkova has taught International Law at Middlesex University, London and she has been Head of the Department of Law and Digital Technologies at the University of Graz, Austria. The project proposal is prepared with the assistance of Prof. Dr. Zhivko Draganov, Head of the UNWE International and EU Law Department and Director of the Centre for Legal Research and Administrative Support to the International Cooperation and Projects Division of the UNWE International Activities Directorate.

The project provides an in-depth exploration of the right to free speech on a global scale. Nowadays the social networks moderate our speech - they take down or leave online speech that is flagged as illegal or simply offensive. This role leaves behind the public courts, which are, however, still primarily responsible for adjudicating the speech issues in the physical world. The implementation of the project will seek to answer the question of whether there is an online/offline divide when it comes to the standard of free speech protection.

The project No. КП06-ДВ/6 of December 17,2024 - The Online/Offline Divide: Can Pre-Digital Law Govern the Online World? Focus on freedom of expression at the Meta Oversight Board is funded by the National Scientific Programme VICHREN-2024, Research Fund at the Ministry of Education and Science.