Belgium’s federal government is enlisting influencers to encourage young people to report cyberhate, part of a broader LGBTI plan approved by the De Wever government before the summer recess. As reported by De Standaard, Minister for Equal Opportunities Rob Beenders is rolling out an awareness campaign in September built around the same approach the government first tested in April, when influencer Kobe Peeters posted a video urging young people to report anonymous online hate, including racism, sexism, antisemitism and LGBTI-phobia, to the relevant authorities.
The September campaign will cost €33,396. “Standard government campaigns that young people do not understand have no impact on these types of themes. That is why we opted for influencers,” Beenders said. “That is inexpensive, and the try-out in April showed that the reach was high. The test was very successful. For us as a government, that is a new strategy.”
The campaign is timed to launch around Pride in Antwerp and follows pressure from Flemish advocacy group Çavaria, which called on Belgian authorities to do more to prevent and address hate and violence against LGBTI people after the attack on Pride in Berlin. Belgium dropped from second to fourth place on ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Index in May, a ranking that assesses 49 countries on LGBTI rights legislation and policy.
New Law Targets Anonymity
The influencer campaign accompanies legislation Beenders calls a “game-changer”: anyone harassed online by an anonymous account will be able to request the harasser’s identity from telecom operators through the Telecommunications Ombudsman, which already handles complaints tied to phone and SMS abuse.
Beenders and Minister of Digitalisation Vanessa Matz are drafting the law, which the government approved in a first reading in late May. It still requires parliamentary approval, which Beenders expects by spring 2027 at the latest.
“Whether it is a private message via Instagram or a public comment on X, we are requiring telecom operators and companies like Meta to disclose the identity details of the people behind it,” Beenders said. Once passed, the law would allow fines against companies that refuse to cooperate. Victims will not need to approach the ombudsman directly; third parties such as teachers or psychologists who receive reports of harassment can file on a victim’s behalf. Beenders said a single anonymous message can qualify as harassment under the law, with anonymity itself the defining condition rather than message volume or content.
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
Belgium’s federal government is enlisting influencers to encourage young people to report cyberhate, part of a broader LGBTI plan approved by the De Wever government before the summer recess. As reported by De Standaard, Minister for Equal Opportunities Rob Beenders is rolling out an awareness campaign in September built around the same approach the government first tested in April, when influencer Kobe Peeters posted a video urging young people to report anonymous online hate, including racism, sexism, antisemitism and LGBTI-phobia, to the relevant authorities.
The September campaign will cost €33,396. “Standard government campaigns that young people do not understand have no impact on these types of themes. That is why we opted for influencers,” Beenders said. “That is inexpensive, and the try-out in April showed that the reach was high. The test was very successful. For us as a government, that is a new strategy.”
The campaign is timed to launch around Pride in Antwerp and follows pressure from Flemish advocacy group Çavaria, which called on Belgian authorities to do more to prevent and address hate and violence against LGBTI people after the attack on Pride in Berlin. Belgium dropped from second to fourth place on ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Index in May, a ranking that assesses 49 countries on LGBTI rights legislation and policy.
New Law Targets Anonymity
The influencer campaign accompanies legislation Beenders calls a “game-changer”: anyone harassed online by an anonymous account will be able to request the harasser’s identity from telecom operators through the Telecommunications Ombudsman, which already handles complaints tied to phone and SMS abuse.
Beenders and Minister of Digitalisation Vanessa Matz are drafting the law, which the government approved in a first reading in late May. It still requires parliamentary approval, which Beenders expects by spring 2027 at the latest.
“Whether it is a private message via Instagram or a public comment on X, we are requiring telecom operators and companies like Meta to disclose the identity details of the people behind it,” Beenders said. Once passed, the law would allow fines against companies that refuse to cooperate. Victims will not need to approach the ombudsman directly; third parties such as teachers or psychologists who receive reports of harassment can file on a victim’s behalf. Beenders said a single anonymous message can qualify as harassment under the law, with anonymity itself the defining condition rather than message volume or content.
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