A/79/151 61. In the context of elections, organic content generated by users can play a significant role in shaping the social perception of LGBT issues. It is, however, arguably less powerful than the content specifically designed for mass distribution and promoted through targeted advertising. The policies of technological companies regarding such type of content are particularly relevant in the context of elections. A key issue is that online spaces appear to lower the barriers to xenophobic and homophobic rhetoric. What is unacceptable socially or otherwise prohibited offline may be perceived as permissible online. 178 Women politicians, especially from minority groups, including LGBT people, experience disproportionate hate speech online, which has a chilling effect on their likelihood to participate in politics. 179,180 Anonymity and the use of encryption enables safe access to the Internet and information without fear of reprisal, including for LGBT persons, 181 while surveillance and its chilling effect disproportionately have an impact on gender and sexual minorities. 182 LGBT persons using social media to mobilize and assemble are among those groups that are disproportionately vulnerable and targeted for online attacks by both State and non-State actors. 183 Reports by election observers indicate that smear campaigns and hate speech directed against LGBT candidates frequently rely on social media distribution channels. 184 X. International and citizen observation, civil society involvement and international electoral assistance 62. International observer groups can play an important role in ensuring LGBT inclusion by attending both to the specific barriers facing LGBT people in national elections and to the role of local citizen observer groups. Civil society groups have noted the efforts of international observers 185 to focus on LGBT inclusion and highlighted the need for them to continue to do so. 186 The good practice of European Union election observation missions of regularly including a specific section on the “political participation of the LGBTIQ+ community” in their final reports is welcome, as are the ongoing efforts of the European Union to provide clear methodological guidance covering LGBT inclusion in all observation missions. 63. Non-partisan citizen observer groups can also play an important role in election monitoring. 187 The participation of LGBT persons in elections is rarely a specific focus in reports of national citizen observer groups. In a positive example, organizations focused on the rights of LGBT persons conducted election observation missions in Colombia in 2022 and 2023, contributing to a better understanding of the causes of discrimination and violence against LGBT persons during elections. 188 In Kenya in 2022, the registration of several LGBT organizations as election observers __________________ 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 22/25 Submission by Malta, p. 6; and joint submission by the Network of LGBTI Litigants of the Americas, the LGBTTTI and Sex Workers Coalition with work before OAS and the Regional Network without LGBTI Violence of Latin America and the Caribbean, p. 4. Submission by Wo=men, p. 5. See A/77/288. See A/76/258 and A/HRC/29/32. See A/HRC/32/38. See A/HRC/50/42 and A/HRC/41/41. European Union, Election Observation Mission to Peru: Final Report (2020), p. 27. Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers, commemorated 27 October 2005 at United Nations Headquarters. Submission by the International Lesbian and Gay Association, p. 6. Declaration of Global Principles for Non-partisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations, adopted on 3 April 2012 at United Nations Headquarters. Submission by Caribe Afirmativo, p. 12. 24-12964