News item | 14-03-2025 | 13:34
Mobilizing people via social media in a short time: it has since become a well -known phenomenon. The Ajax-Maccabi riot (November 2024) is still fresh in the memory. What can we do as a society, business and government to prevent this kind of excesses? 150 citizens are discussing this in the civilian dialogue about online driven public ordinary disturbances. It takes place in May and July 2025.
The Ajax-Maccabi-riot in November 2024 was not the first public ordinance in which reports on social media played a driving role. Already in 2012 ‘Project X’ caused a lot of commotion. What then started as an innocent invitation for a birthday party on Facebook, resulted in an emergency regulation, the evacuation of a family and the use of the mobile unit in a Groningen village. Since then, there have been more public orders disturbances that have started by reports on social media or have therefore been further fueled. How can our society prevent such unsafe situations?
Complicated issue
The answer to that question cannot simply be given, knows Daniela Aben, senior policy officer at the Ministry of Justice and Security.
“It is an issue with many different sides. On social media everyone has the freedom to share his or her opinion, also anonymously; That is an important right. But it can also cause problems such as the evening clock riots during the pandemic or disturbances around street races. The dilemma is: how do we protect online liberties, without this leading to dangerous situations? What can citizens and companies do, and what do you expect from the government? The Ministry of JenV wants to discuss this with people from all over the Netherlands. “
Around 100,000 random Dutch people will receive an invitation in March to register for the dialogue. From all registrations an independent agency 150 participants, from all kinds of different ages and backgrounds.
Daniela Aben: “The more differences, the better. So that the group is the best possible reflection of the population and all different ideas, opinions and experiences can be shared and collected. ”
Explore and discuss
The citizen dialogue consists of three national meetings and an online session, between mid -May and early July. Participants do not have to know about the subject in advance. They learn more about it during the meetings. Experts are present; This can be internet professionals, lawyers and police, but also former rioters, for example. Then the participants talk to each other, under the guidance of experienced discussion leaders. Participants are given the space to also influence the process themselves.
Outcomes and policy -making
The citizen dialogue is supervised by an external consultancy. The results of the dialogue are shared with the Minister of Justice and Security and with other stakeholders, so that they can be included in policy making.
Daniela Aben: “The civilian dialogue offers people the opportunity to influence important things that enter into society. For the government, a citizen dialogue is a relatively new but promising way to involve citizens more directly in policy -making. “