The Italian government has drafted a bill to ban the use of the English language in public and private bodies, aiming to promote the Italian language and impose a fine of up to 100,000 euros for violating the rule.

The Russian government has introduced a bill to protect the Russian language from excessive use of foreign words, aiming to control the use of Russian language norms by officials and citizens.

In Russia, a law to protect the Russian language from excessive borrowing is also being considered, which aims to regulate the use of Russian language in official spheres.

The proposed law proposes the creation of normative dictionaries that will fix the norms of modern Russian literary language and exclude foreign words, except for those that do not have analogs in Russian.

Some countries, such as France, have laws that restrict the use of foreign words in certain contexts, such as advertising and government documents.

In Ukraine, the law on language protection provides for fines of up to 12,000 hryvnias for violating the law on the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language.

The language ombudsman in Ukraine has the authority to impose administrative penalties, including fines, on officials who violate the language law.

The Russian government has passed a law to limit the use of foreign words in the Russian language, with the goal of protecting the language.

Experts believe that the law is necessary, but its implementation may be problematic and could lead to 'overkill' in the fight against foreign words.

One of the main risks of the law is that officials may misuse it to create unnecessary restrictions on language use.

The law may also lead to the suppression of minority languages and dialects, as it prioritizes the use of standard Russian.

In Canada, the government wants to protect both French-speaking and English-speaking communities, and the Official Languages Act is intended to support both minority language communities.

The Canadian government must balance the need to promote national languages with the rights of minority language speakers, including access to essential services like justice and healthcare.

Implementing language protection laws in countries with complex linguistic landscapes can be challenging due to the need to balance the promotion of national languages with the rights of minority language speakers.

Language protection laws intersect with other policy areas, such as economic development, education, and media, as seen in various countries around the world.

In Hong Kong, the "two written languages and three spoken languages" policy aims to promote language education and social integration, which is closely tied to the city's economic development and future growth.

The policy's effectiveness is evaluated based on four social functions: integration, pattern maintenance, adaptation, and goal attainment, highlighting the complex relationship between language protection and other policy areas.

Language education policy should consider both student and societal needs, and the influence of Mandarin may surpass that of English in certain industries in the Greater Bay Area, emphasizing the need for language protection laws to intersect with economic development policies.

Establishing a legal status for Mandarin and simplified Chinese characters is necessary for Hong Kong's language education policy, which also has implications for the city's media and education sectors.

In China, language protection laws aim to regulate and manage language use on the internet and other new media platforms to prevent the spread of vulgar and violent language, highlighting the intersection with media policies.

The Chinese government has issued an opinion to strengthen language and character work in the new era, which includes improving language education, regulating language use on the internet, and promoting the use of standardized language.

Language protection laws can intersect with economic development policies, such as promoting the development of the digital economy and supporting the growth of industries related to language and character work.

In Pakistan, the Pakistan Mother Languages Literature Festival promotes linguistic diversity and is supported by various government departments and organizations, highlighting the intersection with education and cultural policies.

The festival provides a platform for writers, artists, poets, and activists from different language communities to exchange ideas and creative works, leading to collaborations and bonding throughout the year.

In Russia, the government has an institutional infrastructure to support languages in each bilingual and multilingual region, which helps to prevent the marginalization of languages and promotes their preservation and revitalization.

Russia's language policy is considered one of the best, if not exemplary, compared to other multilingual countries, and the country has the potential to offer leadership in language preservation and provide training on language policy and methods for preserving languages and cultures of indigenous peoples.

In Libya, language planning is necessary to understand and facilitate the writing and learning of ancient languages, such as the Berber language and the Tebu language, which is closely tied to education and cultural policies.

Language planning and language policy are related but distinct concepts, with language planning being a subset of language policy, and the intersection with media policies is crucial for promoting and preserving languages.

In Odisha, India, the government is revising its multilingual education policy to improve mother tongue-based instruction in the state, which highlights the intersection with education policies.

The revised policy aims to address language issues faced by tribal children from pre-school education to post-graduation studies, and includes the development of materials in tribal languages and the inclusion of tribal languages in school and college curricula.

In the UK, the Online Safety Bill has provisions that intersect with language protection laws, such as the regulation of online content and the promotion of standardized language, which has implications for media and education policies.

The Bill creates a regulatory framework overseen by Ofcom, which increases liability on online platforms for individual online expression, and has the potential to impact language use and preservation online.

Overall, language protection laws intersect with various policy areas, including economic development, education, and media, and the potential synergies and tensions between these policy domains highlight the need for careful consideration and planning in language policy-making.

The Italian government has drafted a bill to ban the use of the English language in public and private bodies, aiming to promote the Italian language and impose a fine of up to 100,000 euros for violating the rule.

Title:

Content: Italian govt drafts bill that seeks to ban English language

RomeEdited By: C KrishnasaiUpdated: Apr 01, 2023, 03:15 PM IST

Calling for the Italian language to be protected and nurtured, the draft bill claims that English “demeans and mortifies” Italians, and called on all public and private bodies to use the “language of Dante” to promote their goods and services, reports Reuters news agency. Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

The bill, which has been drafted by lawmakers of the nationalist Brothers of Italy party, aims to promote Italian language and imposes a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($108,750) if found violating the rule

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party has proposed legislation that seeks to prohibit public and private bodies in the country from using foreign terms, especially English, in official communications.

The bill, which has been drafted by lawmakers of the nationalist Brothers of Italy party, aims to promote Italian language and imposes a fine of up to 100,000 euros ($108,750) if found violating the rule.

In order to become a law, the bill has to be approved by both houses of parliament. But there was no indication of when this might happen.

“It is not just a matter of fashion, as fashions pass, but Anglomania (has) repercussions for society as a whole,” said the text of the draft bill.

Calling for the Italian language to be protected and nurtured, the draft bill claims that English “demeans and mortifies” Italians, and called on all public and private bodies to use the “language of Dante” to promote their goods and services, reports Reuters news agency.

The draft also specifies that all job related applications, including names and acronyms, should be spelt out in Italian, with foreign words allowed only if they are impossible to translate.

The bill said the widespread use of English in Europe was “even more negative and paradoxical” given that Britain had quit the European Union.

The draft bill comes at a time when the incumbent far-right government takes measures to what it calls preserving the local culture.

Recently, it banned the use of laboratory-produced food to safeguard the country’s agri-food heritage.

When the Brothers of Italy party took office last October, it added the English term “Made in Italy” to the name of the industry minister, while Meloni occasionally drops foreign words into her speeches.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Russian government has introduced a bill to protect the Russian language from excessive use of foreign words, aiming to control the use of Russian language norms by officials and citizens.

Title:

Content: city news Yelets, news Yelets, Yelets news, Yelets newspaper, Red banner
Better than any passport.
0 0
The Russian government has submitted to the state Duma a bill to protect the Russian language from excessive use of foreign words.
The document implies control over the observance by officials and citizens of the norms of the Russian literary language and the inadmissibility of the use of foreign words, with the exception of those that do not have common analogues in the Russian language.
"Wet feet"
by "toptalische"
Fighters for the purity of the native language waited, because the discussion about it among linguists, writers, scientists goes on constantly, then quiet, then flaring up with renewed vigor.
The initiative of the Government of Russia, which decided to wedge itself into the disputes of professionals, is quite understandable and understandable.
Today, when the United States and the entire Western world are in a rush to destroy, eradicate, wipe out all Russian, the frequent use of Anglicisms in everyday life is at least unpatriotic.
In fairness, it should be noted that borrowing from other languages is a constant process.
Lenin also proposed "to declare war on the use of foreign words unnecessarily", and the intricacies of relations and mutual accusations of Slavophiles and Westerners entered the textbooks, as well as the textbook proposals to replace other people's "galoshes" with their "wet feet", and "sidewalks" - with "toptalisches".
In the 1940s, a new wave: the struggle against cosmopolitanism suggested “for everything Russian against foreign ”, including in the language.
A printer is a printer?
Meanwhile, all – both supporters and opponents – agree that there are concepts in their native language that came after the phenomena, realities created in other countries, and therefore the words denoting them, well, not ours, but they can not do without them.
A striking example is the computer, IT technologies and everything related to them.
The word “printer ” cannot be replaced by a Russian translation from English, since“ printer ” does not mean a device for printing, but a person engaged in this process.
By the way, this phenomenon is not new: even under Peter I, who “cut through the window to Europe ”, dozens of Dutch and German words for technologies and mechanisms poured into Russia.
And in opera, many terms are borrowed from Italian and have long been part of the Russian language.
And we calmly use such words as “federation ”,“ sphere ”, “national ”,“ commission ” and many others that came from foreign languages, but are firmly entrenched in our own.
How to be
in one bow
Meanwhile, one cannot but agree with the authors of the bill: recently, the speech of deputies of different ranks, officials, political and economic experts, heads of federal and regional, and sometimes local authorities is simply replete with foreign words that have simple and understandable analogues in their native language.
And if we are almost reconciled with merchandisers (commodity scientists in our own way), then what do you think of the expression from the fashion world “in one bow ”?
The well-known vegetable has nothing to do with it: in English look - look, therefore, in Russian it is an image, appearance, look, etc. In texts related to business, "marketplace" (literally from the English place of trade), as well as "startup" (start, start, take the first steps) or "webinar" (training video conference live).
In the field of education, they like to talk about “bullying prevention ”: this word means ridicule, bullying of children at school by peers.
Increasingly, “campus ” sounds, while the translation from Latin is a familiar campus for many of us, or“ coach ” instead of the usual “coach ”,“ mentor ”.
Abilympics
with WorldSkills
I will also swing at my favorite “quest ” recently: again with the English“ game, search ”.
I do not like the sequestered budget, because it is “cut ”, but transparent is more to my liking, because it is“ open ”, “transparent ”.
And who will prove to me that “exchange of practices ” is better than the usual“ exchange of experience ”?
Or for days on TV reported about the participation of Russians in the championship "Abilympics".
You will break the language by pronouncing, although this is only a competition in professional skills among the disabled, in another way they are also called the “Olympics of opportunities ”.
From the same series, the widely distributed “WorldSkills ” (WorldSkills) is also a competition, but students studying a particular profession.
We have such competitions took place in the times of the USSR, then they were safely forgotten, and now they are back again, only in a Western manner.
And here is another illustrative example: the all-Russian social project “Agrofoodsharing ”.
We divide abracadabra into parts: agro - of course, something related to agriculture.
In English, food – food, share – share.
As a result, we get a movement of agricultural producers who want to share with other people the surplus of their crops.
The idea, of course, is good, right, but why break the language?
And finally from the sore: "solving cases." Brilliant!
In English, the word “case ” has two meanings: a briefcase, a suitcase and the second – circumstances.
Therefore, in Russian literally "the decision of circumstances" or, as the know-it-all Internet interprets, "the study of the situation and the choice of a suitable solution."
They will leave themselves
on your own?
Most likely, the desire to cleanse the language by introducing a law at the state level is an attempt to distance oneself from the West, its influence, to isolate oneself from someone else ’ s and alien mentality, lifestyle and dubious values.
However, it is not very clear what it will look like in practice: will there be lists of prohibited words and expressions or just recommendations, and addressed to high-ranking officials and other “persons in the TV ” – after all, it is with their filing that all sorts of newfangled borrowings from foreign languages often go“ to people ”.
However, a few decades ago, our teachers at the Yelets Pedagogical Institute hammered us, students, that the language is a self-cleaning system, and all harmful, fake after a while will simply disappear.
It has always been so, and I want to believe it will be so.
KSTATI:
I assume that all borrowings are from our haste, eternal saving of time even on pronunciation and writing of words.
We usually write in sms a short, indifferent “OK ”.
While in the native language for this almost a dozen words: “good ”,“ okay ”, “agree ”,“ give ”, “let ”,“ good ”, etc. No wonder there is a catch phrase: “Speech is better than any passport ”...
Tatyana SHCHERBATYKH
VRF News

In Russia, a law to protect the Russian language from excessive borrowing is also being considered, which aims to regulate the use of Russian language in official spheres.

Title:

Content: There should be no excesses: a sociologist about the law on the protection of language - RIA Novosti Crimea, 29.10.2022
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There should be no excesses: a sociologist about the law on the protection of language
Political scientist Kiselyova appreciated the bill on the protection of the Russian language
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SIMFEROPOL, 29 oct - RIA Novosti Crimea.
The emergence of a law in the Russian Federation on the protection of the Russian language from excessive borrowing is appropriate, but there should be no excesses in this matter.
This opinion on the air of the radio "Sputnik in Crimea" expressed the head of the Crimean branch of the Foundation for the development of civil society, sociologist Natalia Kiseleva.
Crimean teachers spoke out against the language repression of young people > >
Earlier, a draft law on amendments to the Federal Law "On the State Language of the Russian Federation" appeared in the system of ensuring legislative activity.
The amendments provide for the protection of the Russian language from the excessive influence of borrowed words.
In particular, we propose the emergence of normative dictionaries that fix the norms of the modern Russian literary language, where foreign words cannot be entered, with the exception of those that have no analogues in the Russian language.
Leave the “barn ” and“ dog ” alone: a linguist about the law on the protection of language
“I am a supporter of this bill.
I think it should be adopted a long time ago, because we really see an unjustified dominance of foreign words.
At the same time, I, of course, do not propose to abandon all borrowed words - many of them have long and firmly entered the Russian language and became part of it, "Kiseleva said.
The sociologist emphasizes that it is impossible to introduce language restrictions in colloquial speech, especially among young people, and this is not the case in the new bill.
At the same time, in her opinion, the official use of the language should be regulated:
In the Crimea proposed to introduce fines for foreign words in advertising > >
“It ’ s about officials, the media.
For example, the latest fashionable foreign word "hub" - representatives of government agencies use it everywhere, although there is a great word in the Russian language "node": transport hub, interchange and so on, "- gives an example of a guest ether.
Dictionary for the replacement of anglicisms needs improvement – opinion
In addition, according to Kiseleva, it is appropriate not only to regulate the use of the Russian language in the official sphere, but also to simplify the language of regulatory documents so that the ordinary citizen can understand legal norms, which now often require interpretation by lawyers.
Earlier, Andrei Kibrik, a researcher at the Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, commented on the relevant bill, expressed the opinion that the artificial regulation of any language, including the Russian language, is a vain and even harmful idea, since borrowing is part of a natural process that cannot be stopped or reversed.
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The proposed law proposes the creation of normative dictionaries that will fix the norms of modern Russian literary language and exclude foreign words, except for those that do not have analogs in Russian.

Some countries, such as France, have laws that restrict the use of foreign words in certain contexts, such as advertising and government documents.

Some countries, such as France, have laws that restrict the use of foreign words in certain contexts, such as advertising and government documents.

Some countries, such as France, have laws that restrict the use of foreign words in certain contexts, such as advertising and government documents.

In Ukraine, the law on language protection provides for fines of up to 12,000 hryvnias for violating the law on the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language.

Title:

Content: Politics 2022-07-14T16: 11: 37 + 03: 00
Ukrainian News
The language ombudsman accuses Zelensky, Arrestovich and Kim of violating the law on language and threatens fines
The language ombudsman accuses Zelensky, Arrestovich and Kim of violating the law on language and threatens fines
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Taras Kremin.
Photo: umoloda
Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremin notes that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Oleksiy Arestovich and Head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration and Head of the Regional Military Administration Vitaly Kim violated the law on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language, according to which fines of up to 12 thousand hryvnia are provided.
This is stated in the message of the language ombudsman on the website, Ukrainian news reports.
The review of the use of state language by officials was conducted from March 1 to June 30 through a selective survey of broadcasting, official pages of central executive bodies, local self-government bodies, military administrations, on the Internet platforms Youtube, Facebook, Telegram, as well as through a search for key queries with the names of heads of bodies and their deputies on the Youtube network.
According to the report of the review, the working language of the activities of state authorities, local governments, enterprises, institutions and organizations of state and communal ownership was state.
At the same time, the service in a non-state language is recorded in the activities of some officials of local councils, heads of military administrations, heads of municipal enterprises.
Cases of the use of non-state language were both on television, and on the pages of social networks and Telegram channels.
Thus, communication in a non-state language was recorded by 8 heads of military administrations, 15 officials of local self-government bodies, 2 heads of institutions of communal ownership.
In particular, the language law was violated by Zelensky, Arestovich, Kim, Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko, Head of the Military Administration of Kryvyi Rih Oleksandr Vilkul, Chairman of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, Head of the Regional Military Administration Serhiy Gaidai, Mariupol Mayor Vadim Boychenko, Kharkiv Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedorov, Dnipro Head Boris Filatov.
For example, it is noted that the President violated the language law during a meeting with foreign guests - British businessman Richard Branson on June 29 and actor and director Sean Penn on June 28.
The Ombudsman notes that there are currently far fewer cases of using a non-state language on TV channels than in March and April this year, but some officials continue to violate the language law.
"As early as July 16, such actions may have consequences in the form of administrative penalties - warnings and fines," Kremin said.
July 16 comes into force subparagraph 1 of paragraph 7 of the section "Final and transitional provisions" of the law on language, which imposes fines.
Since then, the Commissioner will be able to fine officials of state authorities and local self-government, heads and employees of enterprises, institutions and organizations of all forms of ownership, other individuals who violate the law.
According to the results of the protocol on an administrative offense, a decision may be made to recover in the form of a warning or a fine from 3,400 to 8,500 hryvnia, if the violation is committed for the first time, or from 8,500 to 11,900 hryvnia - for a repeated violation within a year.
As reported by Ukrainian News, from July 16, all sites must enter Ukrainian-language versions.
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The language ombudsman in Ukraine has the authority to impose administrative penalties, including fines, on officials who violate the language law.

The Russian government has passed a law to limit the use of foreign words in the Russian language, with the goal of protecting the language.

Title:

Content: The ban on foreign borrowings in the Russian language - what should be feared - RIA Novosti Crimea, 16.02.2023
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The ban on foreign borrowings in the Russian language – what should be feared
Philologists: in the fight against foreign borrowings in the language, it is important to prevent excesses
© Fotolia / daria rizaDictionary of the Russian language.
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SIMFEROPOL, Feb 16 – RIA Novosti Crimea, Alexey Goncharov.
The main risk of the law adopted by the State Duma on the restriction of the use of foreign words is the excesses that can be allowed in the struggle for the purity of the Russian language.
This opinion was expressed by the interviewed website RIA Novosti Crimea and radio "Sputnik in Crimea" experts.
Chancellery is no less an enemy
On Thursday, the State Duma in the second and third reading adopted amendments to the federal law "On the state language of the Russian Federation".
The law, in particular, prohibits the use of foreign words at the state level, with the exception of those that do not have common Russian-language analogues.
Deputies also approved a list of areas where Russian is mandatory for use.
These include information for consumers of goods, works and services, as well as the education sector, state and municipal information systems.
Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor of the Institute of Philology of the Crimean Federal University.
Vernadsky Vladimir Orekhov believes this law is correct and necessary, since the Russian language needs protection.
However, the main problem is how this document will work in practice.
"Indeed, there can be excesses, and on the part of officials, who in many cases are themselves a source of stupid borrowing.
It is this category that often distorts the Russian language with stationery and borrowings, inventing some new formulas.
To make a beautiful project or report, you need to call the old with new words, preferably foreign, and, passing the old for new, somehow raise your prestige.
And then it already diverges, ” the expert explained in comments to RIA Novosti Crimea.
Orekhov also does not believe that young people are the main source of borrowing in the language.
According to him, youth slang is changing so quickly that such loanwords rarely take root for a long time.
At the same time, what is recorded in official documents, already, as they say in a well-known saying, "you can not cut down with an axe."
Down with the Chancellery: Officials Were Requested to Speak Human > >
“Most of the borrowings that this law is designed to save us from are in official documents of different levels.
This also applies to the capital institutions, but to a greater extent provincial.
This is a kind of fashion – to show your knowledge using incomprehensible foreign words.
How to deal with it, I have no recipe.
On the other hand, this law in itself can change this fashion in the administrative environment.
In this case, he by the very fact of his existence will correct the situation, ” the philologist suggested.
Russia will support the creation of an organization to promote the Russian language – Putin
According to Orekhov, the mechanisms that will be able to effectively implement the norms of this law should be developed through a wide public discussion, with the involvement of school teachers, university teachers, cultural figures and all those who are involved in the development of the Russian language.
Define clear criteria
Director of the Crimean Republican Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, Doctor of Philology, Professor Alexander Rudyakov is also sure that the law adopted by the State Duma and the protection of the Russian language in general is a good thing.
But the question arises: where is the criterion that distinguishes foreign words from non-foreign ones.
After all, in our language there are many Russian words that are originally borrowed from other languages.
"My wife is a German, we often argue with her.
She believes that the word "barrier" is a German word.
And I, a simple Russian, I am convinced that this is a Russian word.
Therefore, it is important that there are clear criteria for all this.
That's what we're talking about.
The law is excellent, but it is important how it will be applied and what criteria will be there, ” the expert said on the radio “Sputnik in Crimea ”.
Another important fact to pay special attention to is professional universal terminology, said Rudyakov.
“In many branches of knowledge, say, in the banking sector, there are words that are, in principle, international.
It is probably not very smart to isolate yourself from the terminology that is inherent in this area.
Another thing is not to drag it into our public vocabulary.
This is also very important to understand and comply with, ” explained the philologist.
"Adapt and switch to Russian": how the schools of Kherson region work > >
At the same time, the professor agreed that today in a number of areas, including administrative and media, there is an excessive use of foreign words, which can be easily and simply replaced by Russian-language analogues.
"When you hear 'communicate', 'collaboration' - the hand reaches for the gun.
Somewhere I read the information that a "Children's Collaboration House" was built in Vladivostok.
That's what's scary, you know.
These are obvious excesses, ” said the doctor of science.
Rudyakov, who is also a member of the Council on the Russian language under the President of Russia, assured that he will raise questions regarding the new law at the next meeting of the organization on March 2.
Read also on RIA Novosti Crimea:
Quoting the classics: how and why great writers quarreled
Than English-language words interfere in advertising – the opinion of senators from the Crimea
Russia will support the creation of an organization to promote the Russian language – Putin
Leave the “barn ” and“ dog ” alone: a linguist about the law on the protection of language
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Experts believe that the law is necessary, but its implementation may be problematic and could lead to 'overkill' in the fight against foreign words.

One of the main risks of the law is that officials may misuse it to create unnecessary restrictions on language use.

The law may also lead to the suppression of minority languages and dialects, as it prioritizes the use of standard Russian.

The law may also lead to the suppression of minority languages and dialects, as it prioritizes the use of standard Russian.

The law may also lead to the suppression of minority languages and dialects, as it prioritizes the use of standard Russian.

In Canada, the government wants to protect both French-speaking and English-speaking communities, and the Official Languages Act is intended to support both minority language communities.

Title:

Content: Official languages: Ottawa says it wants to protect both communities

While Quebec is asking the federal government to adopt a differentiated approach between French-speaking minorities outside Quebec and the province's English-speaking community, Justin Trudeau's Quebec lieutenant, Pablo Rodriguez, says the federal government must be there for both language communities.

"It's true that there is only one endangered language in North America and that's French," the heritage minister said Friday on the sidelines of an announcement of support for the tourism sector in the Montreal area. "That being said, the Official Languages Act and the Government of Canada are there for both minority communities.

"The Trudeau government recognizes that French is threatened and that Quebec has a role to play in ensuring its survival," said Rodriguez. However, the federal government's approach will have to ensure that members of Quebec's English-speaking community can receive essential services, such as access to justice and health care, in their own language.

Quebec is asking the federal government to take a different approach to francophone minorities outside Quebec and the anglophone community within Quebec in its proposed reform of the Official Languages Act.

Quebec's Minister of Canadian Relations Sonia LeBel sent a list of 14 amendments to federal MPs studying the bill this week, reports Radio-Canada. She is asking elected officials to recognize that the needs of the two communities are different.

LeBel also asked the elected officials to stop referring to the promotion of English in the new version of the law and to speak only of the promotion of French and the "development of minorities."

Rodriguez did not want to comment directly on LeBel's request.

"I think it's important that Quebec be able to express its opinion, but in the end, it's the Standing Committee on Official Languages that will analyze this and decide what action to take," he said.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 10, 2022

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The Canadian government must balance the need to promote national languages with the rights of minority language speakers, including access to essential services like justice and healthcare.

Implementing language protection laws in countries with complex linguistic landscapes can be challenging due to the need to balance the promotion of national languages with the rights of minority language speakers.

Language protection laws intersect with other policy areas, such as economic development, education, and media, as seen in various countries around the world.

In Hong Kong, the "two written languages and three spoken languages" policy aims to promote language education and social integration, which is closely tied to the city's economic development and future growth.

The policy's effectiveness is evaluated based on four social functions: integration, pattern maintenance, adaptation, and goal attainment, highlighting the complex relationship between language protection and other policy areas.

Language education policy should consider both student and societal needs, and the influence of Mandarin may surpass that of English in certain industries in the Greater Bay Area, emphasizing the need for language protection laws to intersect with economic development policies.

Establishing a legal status for Mandarin and simplified Chinese characters is necessary for Hong Kong's language education policy, which also has implications for the city's media and education sectors.

In China, language protection laws aim to regulate and manage language use on the internet and other new media platforms to prevent the spread of vulgar and violent language, highlighting the intersection with media policies.

Title:

Content: Home > Industry > Keywords > Network Language Latest News > Text
State Office: Curbing Violent Internet Language Transmission and Strengthening the Management of Language and Character Use in New Media
2021-11-30 23: 02 · Source: Webmaster 's House
ChinaZ.com November 30 news: Today, the General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on the Comprehensive Strengthening of Language and Character Work in the New Era.
Among them, in terms of accelerating the construction of basic language and writing capabilities, the opinions pointed out that to strengthen language civilization education, strengthen the standardization and management of the use of languages and characters in various new media such as the Internet, resolutely curb the spread of vulgar and violent online languages, and build a healthy and civilized online language environment.
At the same time, we will strengthen the standardization of language and writing.
Strengthen the standardization of language and characters in the industry system, and strengthen the supervision and inspection of language and characters in schools, institutions, news and publishing, radio and television, network information, public services and other fields.
The standardized language requirements will be included in industry management, urban and rural management and the creation of civilized cities, civilized villages and towns, civilized units, and civilized campuses.
Strengthen the monitoring research and normative guidance of new words, new words, alphabetic words, foreign words, etc.
Strengthen the management of the use of words and spelling of geographical names.
Encourage localities where conditions permit to carry out the work of standardizing urban and regional languages and writing.
Continuously improve the language standardization system and standard system.
Establish a system of international standards for Chinese language education.
Do a good job of issuing and implementing standards, promoting publicity, consulting services and evaluation and certification of standards.
In addition, we will promote the innovation and development of language information technology.
Give full play to the basic supporting role of language information technology in the construction of national informatization and intelligence, improve the information processing capabilities of language and characters, and promote the financial media application of language and characters.
Vigorously promote the deep integration of language and text with artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and other information technologies, strengthen research on key issues such as natural language processing in an artificial intelligence environment and research and development of original technologies, strengthen the transformation and promotion of language technology achievements, and support the development of the digital economy.
Strengthen the construction of language and text information platforms, build a global Chinese learning platform, and provide high-quality learning resources and information service resources.
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The Chinese government has issued an opinion to strengthen language and character work in the new era, which includes improving language education, regulating language use on the internet, and promoting the use of standardized language.

Language protection laws can intersect with economic development policies, such as promoting the development of the digital economy and supporting the growth of industries related to language and character work.

In Pakistan, the Pakistan Mother Languages Literature Festival promotes linguistic diversity and is supported by various government departments and organizations, highlighting the intersection with education and cultural policies.

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ISLAMABAD: A three-day ‘Pakistan Mother Languages Literature Festival’ concluded here on Sunday as it has become one of the important elements of Islamabad’s cultural and literary scene for the last eight years.

Indus Cultural Forum, a volunteer organisation comprising literary and cultural enthusiasts arranged the festival in collaboration with Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), said a news release.

The festival was supported by the National Heritage and Culture Division of Federal Government, Culture Departments of Governments of Sindh and Balochistan provinces, Friedrich Nauman Foundation (FNF), Forum for Language Initiatives, Idar Brae Taleem-o-Taraqi (IBT), Sindhi Language Authority, ECO Science Foundation, Society for Alternative Media and Research.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Indus Cultural Forum Chairman Dr Manzoor Hussain Soomro said that the eight-year journey of the festival on a voluntary basis and with limited resources is a testimony that with hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication, we can do a lot to promote and protect Pakistan’s true diverse face.

He called for greater collaboration between the government and other institutions to sustain such initiatives.

ICF General Secretary Ashfaq Hussain Chandio said that the festival is a great source of bringing people from all language communities together.

He said the exchanges of ideas and creative works between writers, artists, poets, and activists during these three days are further cultivated across the year and these three days become the source of years-long bonding and collaborations between them.

Senior member of ICF, Munawar Hassan said linguistic diversity is the greatest strength of the country, which should be a cause to bring people together and not divide them.

Director General PNCA, Muhammad Ayub Jamali in his remarks said that institutions like PNCA were open to collaboration with civil society organizations. It is part of the mandate of the PNCA to promote the linguistic, artistic, and cultural diversity of the country.

Earlier in the day, the speakers called for an education policy that centered around the cognitive abilities of children to learn effectively in their mother language at the primary level and gradually move to other languages. Zubair Torwali, Aftab Ahmed, Ameer Haider, Inamullah Shaikh, Shahid Rahman, and others called for revisiting current education policies and practices to pave the way for learning in the mother language.

Three-day literature festival concludes

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The festival provides a platform for writers, artists, poets, and activists from different language communities to exchange ideas and creative works, leading to collaborations and bonding throughout the year.

In Russia, the government has an institutional infrastructure to support languages in each bilingual and multilingual region, which helps to prevent the marginalization of languages and promotes their preservation and revitalization.

Title:

Content: All news
UNESCO said that Russia can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages
In every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning, said Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO Information for All Programme Yevgeny Kuzmin.
Moscow, December 16.
/ TASS /.
Russia needs to start studying the preservation of languages   of small peoples abroad, the Russian side can offer the world leadership in these issues.
This was stated on Thursday by Deputy Chairman of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO program “Information for all ” Eugene Kuzmin at the forum FADN“ Language policy in the Russian Federation ”.
“We can offer the world leadership in the preservation of languages.
Russia can teach people in other countries language policy and realistic methods of preserving the languages and cultures of indigenous peoples. <... > We need to start work on studying the preservation of languages of small peoples in foreign countries and in general in interesting places, "he said.
Kuzmin noted that in Russia, as well as in the world as a whole, languages are marginalized.
“This is a global civilizational process: minority peoples are assimilated, mixed marriages, the outflow of rural population to cities and other regions, urbanization, the desire of people to get a good higher education in capitals and abroad, ” he explained.
At the same time, in every bilingual and even multilingual region in Russia, an institutional infrastructure for language support has been created and is functioning.
According to him, all institutions work well and as can prevent the marginalization of languages, contributing to their preservation and even revitalization.
"In Russia, this is happening better than in many other, if not all, multilingual countries," he added. - Although international comparative studies have not been conducted here, it can be argued that Russian language policy is one of the best, if not exemplary.
Russia can offer the world to develop criteria, parameters of language policy, criteria for its evaluation in each direction, initiate and lead such studies in order to identify the best policies and practices.
We have every opportunity in this country. ”
Kuzmin also drew attention to the UNESCO Atlas of Languages.
“It is us, not the Anglo-Saxons, who should decide at what level of danger our languages are and understand what the vitality index is, and then, judging by the atlas, we have at the same level of vulnerability the Chuvash language in Russia with 1.5 million Chuvash and the language of the Indian tribe in the United States with a population of 250 people, ” he added.
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Russia's language policy is considered one of the best, if not exemplary, compared to other multilingual countries, and the country has the potential to offer leadership in language preservation and provide training on language policy and methods for preserving languages and cultures of indigenous peoples.

In Libya, language planning is necessary to understand and facilitate the writing and learning of ancient languages, such as the Berber language and the Tebu language, which is closely tied to education and cultural policies.

Title:

Content: Confronting questions of modernity.
« Arabic Complex » discusses the formulation of language policy in Libya
Tripoli - Al Wasat Gate: Abdel Salam Al Fiqhi Saturday 12 March 2022, 01: 12 pm
The Arabic Language Academy organized, on Thursday, a seminar moderated by Dr. Mohamed Belhaj, on the concept of linguistic planning and outlined the laws and regulations related to the preservation of the Arabic language in Libya.
In his paper entitled "Planning for coexistence between languages in Libya", Dr. Mohamed Al-Aswad pointed out that there are two ancient languages in Libya, namely the Berber language now called Amazigh used by the Amazigh in Mount Nafusa, and the Tida language in southern Libya Kufra and Tibesti.
He explained that for peaceful coexistence between them, scientific research must be conducted away from fanaticism, and facilitate their writing so that learners are able to assimilate and distract them.
Linguistic Rooting
Dr. Siham Al-Hamri touched on the characteristics of Arabic as a basis for linguistic planning, starting from lexical and terminological definitions, indicating that the language planning is the way and means underline, and the dress of a scheme any make lines, and said land and country plans any make lines and borders, also because he put in his head the plan of any order he had intended.
The researcher defines it as a refined mental activity that seeks to chart the future course of language development, acquisition, structure and use through legislation, decisions, mechanisms and long-term programs that guide the behavior of its users individually and collectively in a flexible way that helps protect its construction, respect its sovereignty, enhance its functions and improve its contribution to the preservation of identity, unity and cumulative memory.
She pointed out in the context of her speech that linguistic planning is old for a long time, but the use of modern scientific and studies came recently, where the collection of the Koran in one Koran and the destruction of the rest of the Koran intervened in order to codify Arabic, and the goal of translating the books into Arabic to become the official language in Persia, Syria and Egypt.
Social organization
Linguistic planning is concerned with activities aimed at the structure and status of language, it is a science that examines the interaction between the two aspects of human behavior, namely the use of language and the social organization of behavior. Linguistic planning and policy both aim to frame the linguistic landscape in society politically and legally, arrange and organize linguistic diversity, address linguistic problems and propose and select solutions.
The researcher tends to define language policy as the actions taken by state institutions to monitor the linguistic situation and control its course, which is the enactment of constitutional and legislative articles related to the linguistic status of society, it is « activities practiced by politicians towards language and its formulation in the form of constitutional and legislative decisions, a branch of public policy ». The rights of minorities in particular, as well as the issue of identity, for example.
Features and mechanisms
Dr. Ali Aoun monitored the characteristics of Arabic self-expressive and self-informational, and described the features of its universality and mechanisms of empowerment and dissemination, while Dr. Khalifa Al-Aswad presented the results of the mixing of language policy with linguistic planning through language-related practices, which were reflected in the fields of linguistic use, "sovereign official use, education, media and Arabization."
Dr. Khalifa Al-Aswad believes that the term linguistic policy was not used in writings dealing with linguistic planning activities, and perhaps the term linguistic engineering or an expression used in the literature on the subject, citing the researcher Haugen Ban Yuri Fenraj, who was the first to use the term linguistic planning at a seminar at Columbia University in 1957.
The researcher added that Haugen defined linguistic planning in that article as all activities related to the preparation of a writing guide (grammar spelling) or the preparation of a book in grammar or a lexicon in order to guide writers and speakers of a language in a linguistically heterogeneous society.
Common Origin
Dr. Khalifa explained that the link between linguistic policy and its implementation « linguistic planning » is due to the source and the common origin, which emanated from it, their subject is related to applied linguistics and is generally interested in the study of linguistic problems.
He listed some points that can be drawn or added in the language planning section and its policy, including the reform of the language and this reflects what happened in the Turkish language when Mustafa Kemal decided to write Turkish in Latin instead of Arabic, as well as the Philippine and Chinese languages and others.
This happened to the languages of China, Indonesia, Tanzania and Zanzibar when standardizing their vocabulary, grammar and methods, after the unified language was chosen for official use, in addition to upgrading the language and developing its vocabulary as in the case of Arabic, Swedish and Italian languages.
Fatal error.
As for planning the treatment of Arabic in the media, Dr. Bashir Zagalam says in his paper that our ancestors preserved our Arabic language and strengthened it when it was weakened and the melody leaked to it, so they hastened to adjust and tighten its rules, but in the era of globalization, the danger has become many aspects and different goals, some of it comes from the lurkers from the West, Its people, who were saturated with the languages of the West, were unable to express them and boasted to speak others, and one of the most dangerous things is also the language of the media because of its orientation to the public; as the linguistic danger here is fast and deadly and spreads among all classes, including the educated class.
From the weekly issue of "The Middle East".
Dr. Ali Aoun (Center Gate)
Dr. Siham Al-Hamri (Center Gate)
Dr. Mohamed Belhaj during the opening speech of the seminar (Center Gate)
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Language planning and language policy are related but distinct concepts, with language planning being a subset of language policy, and the intersection with media policies is crucial for promoting and preserving languages.

In Odisha, India, the government is revising its multilingual education policy to improve mother tongue-based instruction in the state, which highlights the intersection with education policies.

Title:

Content: Odisha reworks mother language education policy

The policy proposes that one chapter in the textbook curriculum on different tribal languages shall be included to inform the students and future generations.

Published: 10th August 2023 11:42 AM  |   Last Updated: 10th August 2023 11:42 AM   |  A+A-

Express News Service

BHUBANESWARA revised multilingual education (MLE) policy the Odisha government is working on looks to bring in wholesome changes in the mother tongue-based instruction in the state. The revision will address language issues faced by tribal children starting from pre-school education and at the same time, push research and post-graduation (PG) studies on different tribal languages, said secretary of the department Roopa Roshan Sahoo.

As part of the policy, it has been proposed to develop a ‘Kuni Calendar’ for children under 3 years of age in consultation with the Women and Child Development (WCD) department for the effective cognitive development of the targeted children.

For children in the 3 to 6 years age group who visit Anganwadi centres, materials in tribal languages in the shape of pictorials, calendars and toys would be developed. In subsequent grades, particularly in primary classes, the learning materials would be developed keeping in view the school curriculum and the local tribal way of living incidental to the school curriculum.

The policy proposes that one chapter in the textbook curriculum on different tribal languages shall be included to inform the students and future generations. Besides, tribal language should be included as a language subject in school and college curriculum. At the PG level, tribal language could be included as a language subject and interested students and scholars can do research on it.

For developing the new MLE curriculum, the department plans to collaborate with WCD, School and Mass Education and Higher Education departments. The draft policy will be ready by the end of this month.

Sources said while the department plans to engage more tribal language teachers either through outsourcing or regular appointments in its schools, the existing teachers in the department-run schools will be trained in new MLE interventions.

Along with Saura, Kui, Oram, Koya, Bonda, Munda, Santali, Juang, Kissan and Kuvi language teachers, the department will now appoint Ho language teachers in its schools as MLE teachers. Currently, 64 tribal language teachers are posted in tribal schools to impart teaching in the mother tongue in elementary grades. It has been planned to train 1,400 elementary teachers on tribal languages during 2023-24.

The state currently has 21 spoken tribal languages of which, Satali is the only language which has been included in the eighth schedule of the Constitution. It is taught in its own Ol Chiki script while the rest of the tribal languages have Odia scripts. In fact, only Santali, Ho, Saura, Munda and Kui languages have a written script.

Supplementary textbooks in Sadri, Munda, Desia, Koya, Gondi, Kuvi and Saura languages have been printed and distributed to students of the target language. These books in 14 more tribal languages are under the process of printing and distribution, sources added.

Special focus on Santali language

The ST and SC Development department will form an expert committee to put forth proposals for the Santal community on the promotion and preservation of the Santali language and Ol Chiki script. This was decided at a meeting held under the chairmanship of chief secretary PK Jena. It was also decided that the Academy of Tribal Languages and Culture (ALTC) will take the lead in the publication and promotion of tribal literature and tribal life as a publishing house.

Books from classes I to V written in Ol Chiki script will be utilised for certificate courses to non-Santali people to learn the basics of the language at ALTC. Besides, non-credit/non-assessment-based language subjects in tribal languages will be introduced in schools from classes VI to X.

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The revised policy aims to address language issues faced by tribal children from pre-school education to post-graduation studies, and includes the development of materials in tribal languages and the inclusion of tribal languages in school and college curricula.

In the UK, the Online Safety Bill has provisions that intersect with language protection laws, such as the regulation of online content and the promotion of standardized language, which has implications for media and education policies.

The Bill creates a regulatory framework overseen by Ofcom, which increases liability on online platforms for individual online expression, and has the potential to impact language use and preservation online.

Title:

Content: Five things you need to know about the Online Safety Bill

Big Brother Watch Team / October 3, 2023

The UK has now endured 10 long years of debate and deliberation on the topic of internet regulation. For proponents of new online “safety” laws, this has been as painful as it has for those deeply concerned about the potential impact on civil liberties. What began with a speech by David Cameron in 2013 on cleansing the internet of “disgusting material” online, led to an “Internet Safety Strategy green paper” in 2017, which developed into an “Online Harms White Paper” in 2019, a draft Online Safety Bill in 2021 and then a full and final Online Safety Bill in 2022. The Bill, soon to be an Act of Parliament, has only just completed its passage through both the House of Commons and House of Lords after being carried through multiple Parliamentary sessions and at least one major revision.

A debate which began focused squarely on the protection of children online morphed into something much broader, culminating in a piece of legislation that would ultimately regulate the speech of everyone online. The final product is a regulatory framework, overseen by broadcast regulator Ofcom, which will increase liability on online platforms, shifting culpability to these platforms for the online expression of individuals, rather than the users themselves. The regulatory framework includes content takedown obligations, will age-gate large parts of the internet, amasses a large amount of executive control over how the internet is regulated and even contains provisions to sanction the scanning of our messages en-masse.

This blog signposts the key areas of the Bill that threaten our rights and liberties. Despite the best efforts of campaigners across a multitude of groups, who were able to scale back the ill-informed concept of “harmful” speech to adults, the civil liberties red flags are many and must be monitored closely when the regulatory framework formally kicks in the coming months.

1. Social media platforms have formally become judge and jury over our speech

At the heart of the Online Safety Bill is the delegation of responsibility for individuals’ online expression to social media platforms themselves. This approach runs contrary to the general principle that people should ultimately be responsible for their own actions and in the context of a communications network, only incentivises these platforms to censor where they are threatened with penalties if they do not. Whilst some illegal content will always be clear and obvious to content moderators, it is inconceivable that they should be able to make determinations on what might legally constitute “stirring up hatred” or “malicious communication”, speech which can reach a criminal threshold but which the police and the courts frequently find hard to make judgments on. Silicon Valley’s content moderators can’t possibly fulfill the tasks of police, judge and jury, so when these difficult determinations are presented to them, under the threat of penalties, they will almost certainly censor lawful speech out of an abundance of caution.

2. Silicon Valley’s speech codes will get state-backing, even if they are absurd

2022’s Conservative Party leadership contest saw a spark in interest around the Bill and led to the only significant revision which would protect free expression. Before the Bill was revised, provisions around speech which could be deemed “legal but harmful” to adults would have compelled platforms to identify categories of so-called “harmful” speech and demonstrate to Ofcom that they were dealing with it satisfactorily under content policies. As content policies increasingly pushed for the suppression of different forms of lawful expression, many of us harboured concerns that the Bill would only reinforce Big Tech censorship.

During the leadership contest, the now Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

“the challenge is whether it [the Online Safety Bill] strays into the territory of suppressing free speech. And the bit in particular that has caused some concern and questions is around this area where the government is saying, look, here’s some content that’s legal but harmful, and it’s that that’s this kind of area, which I think people rightly have said, well, what exactly does that mean?”.

While Liz Truss won the vote, provisions on speech that the government considered “legal but harmful to adults” and a proposed new offence which would have criminalised “seriously distressing” speech were ditched in a major victory for Big Brother Watch and other free expression and civil liberties groups.

However, these changes were in some sense, too good to be true.

Rather than scrap regulations regarding lawful expression entirely, the Government created a new statutory duty on social media platforms to consistently apply their own terms and conditions on taking down and restricting content and banning and suspending users.

Examples of social media censorship of lawful speech

Our research on platforms’ terms and conditions shows that they can inhibit lawful discussions on issues of racial and gender justice and mental health. In fact, we performed an experiment which found that even speech by politicians from Boris Johnson to Nadine Dorries and Angela Rayner can and has been censored under platform content rules. Furthermore, given major platforms’ pandemic terms and conditions prohibiting content that contradicted “health authorities”, this would have meant the state-regulator Ofcom could issue fines of up to 10% of major platforms’ revenues if they did not consistently censor women describing changes to their periods post-vaccination, people criticising mandatory vaccine passports, or people discussing credible lab-leak theories on the origins of Covid.

Big Brother Watch believes that the creation of a statutory duty on platforms to enforce censorious, corporate policies that are totally out of step with UK speech laws is incompatible with the state’s duty to uphold Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects individuals’ freedom of expression.

3. The internet will become age-gated

Attempts to age-gate pornographic material online via the 2017 Digital Economy Act fell apart by 2019 due to inadequate privacy safeguards. In spite of this failure of government policy, Ministers not only attempted to re-legislate in this domain but pushed age-gating to include conventional social media sites. This broadening of the concept of age-gating now threatens the ability of adults and children to receive and impart information on major platforms without undergoing invasive age-verification checks.

Under the “child safety duties” in the Bill, a platform must make the choice between mandating technology that would check the age of all of its users, or censor content in a way that is appropriate for those under the age of 18. Whilst it is vital that children are protected online, this is an entirely disproportionate step that will manifest in more online censorship and digital exclusion from services that are obliged to respond to this duty.

It is worth mentioning in particular that these obligations also fall on search services. Given the educational benefits of Google and its wide use across all sections of society, including children, it is feasible that the search giant may have to adopt policies that ensure users are not under 18 or else sanitise the information readily available to the general public.

4. Ofcom will not be completely independent

A common theme throughout legislation over the course of this Parliament has been the extent to which the Government have sought to grant themselves executive control over previously independent regulatory systems and in turn, new and significant parts of public life.

Compliance with the Online Safety Bill’s regulatory regime can be fulfilled by a platform meeting standards set out in codes that are issued by Ofcom. However, these codes, themselves mini-rules which could dictate the limitations of our speech online, will only be published as secondary legislation, which is barely scrutinised by Parliament. In a clear example of state overreach, the Bill gives the Secretary of State powers to revise these codes of practice in certain circumstances. While the criteria for ministerial intervention in this manner were narrowed, this gives the Government of the day a huge amount of sway over how these online safety rules are established.

The legislation also gives the Secretary of State powers over the scope of the regulatory system and powers to influence Ofcom through formal statements and issued guidance. The upshot will be a system that is not fully independent from Government intervention and the potential for scenarios where the Government is able to pressure online intermediaries to narrow the parameters of expression online, through pressure or influence, without the full and proper scrutiny of Parliament.

5. Your personal device may become a tool of state surveillance

The Government’s Online Harms White Paper established a blueprint for what the Online Safety Bill would eventually become. The proposals were focused squarely on the regulation of peer-to-peer communications on public platforms. The paper even issued the following guarantee:

“Reflecting the importance of privacy, the framework will also ensure a differentiated approach for private communication, meaning any requirements to scan or monitor content for tightly defined categories of illegal content will not apply to private channels.”

These words proved to be entirely meaningless. In the context of a long-running Home Office war on end-to-end encryption, the Government included provisions in the Online Safety Bill which give Ofcom the power to require the use of “accredited” technology to monitor and scan all of our messages across entire messaging channels. This provision, which despite the best efforts of campaigners was not materially altered, could prove to be a hammer blow in the battle to protect privacy in the United Kingdom.

Users of end-to-end encrypted messaging services are not above the law – indeed, existing law gives the police powers to obtain encrypted data from suspects’ devices already. However, the intrusive powers in the Bill relate to the surveillance of the entire population’s devices and private messages under the guise of “safety” – not just suspects.

For groups who particularly depend on this technology to keep their messages private and secure, the creation of powers that enable the scanning of all messages across entire messaging channels comes as a devastating blow. They threaten journalists, human rights activists, LGBT people, abuse victims, whistleblowers and ironically, even people in positions of relative power who may use these services for the benefit of private messaging. Private messaging services such as Signal and WhatsApp have said they will not comply with what would essentially be the mandated issuing of spyware on all of our phones, which could lead these services to leave the UK.

While the Government have admitted that these intended powers remain technically unfeasible at this time, their creation opens the door to the sinister prospect of future monitoring and surveillance, the likes of which we have not yet seen in this country. In this vein, it is vital that these powers, which are ultimately sanctioned by Ofcom, continue to be resisted.

Conclusion

All of these measures are yet to be implemented but as Ofcom begins to undertake its new work very soon, it must be scrutinised closely. Despite the wins campaigners have achieved in scaling back some of the most egregious attacks on free speech, the final product of 10 years of wrangling is a Frankenstein’s monster of a Bill that will set free expression and privacy back decades in this country.

What we can be sure of upon its implementation is that the Online Safety Bill’s technical illiteracy will almost certainly come crashing into a brutal acquaintance with reality and will be accompanied by a mire of legal compliance questions for affected services. At a time when criminal law is being used to repress protesters, refugees and many other marginalised groups, so too will this regulatory system be used to censor them.

It is quite possible that the Online Safety Bill will fail on its own merits to keep people safe online whilst still undermining our free expression and privacy in ways that we could not yet comprehend. If this becomes the reality, civil liberties campaigners will take no pleasure in saying that many of our warnings were simply not heeded.

– Mark Johnson, Advocacy Manager, Big Brother Watch

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Overall, language protection laws intersect with various policy areas, including economic development, education, and media, and the potential synergies and tensions between these policy domains highlight the need for careful consideration and planning in language policy-making.