MEDIJSKE USLUGE I SEKSIZAM

Abstract

Media services are provided in the circumstances of the development of technology and the emergence of a large number of media that are not media in the legal sense of the word. Digitalization and development of the Internet as a platform for communication through which information is exchanged at high speed has brought many advantages but also challenges due to the inability to pre-check content in terms of its truthfulness and accuracy. It is noticeable that the lack of editorial cyontrola has led to an increase in hate speech, discrimination, sexism and other forms of violation of freedom of expression. Sexism as a form of discriminatory perception of gender roles and gender identity is recognized as a particularly dangerous way of creating media content because it is based on stereotypes and generalizations about the roles of women and men in society, which in the long run intensifies inequality and prevents the functioning of democracy as a form of government and organization of state power, at the base of which is the equality of all citizens regardless of their special characteristics. Since the role of the media in society is defined as the role of the "guardian dog" of democratic institutions, it is very important to understand and identify what exactly sexism is, how it is related to the concept of gender equality and how much through media content (non)contributes to the development of a society based on mutual respect and respect for diversity in all its manifestations. In 2021, the Law on Gender Equality was adopted in Serbia, which clearly defines the concepts of gender, gender, equal opportunities of both sexes and defines discrimination on the basis of gender, gender characteristics and gender, which further achieved the positive obligation of the state in the direction of improving the human rights situation in this area. The paper starts from the thesis that in addition to the improved legal regulations in the field of gender equality, and measures to combat and prevent all forms of gender-based violence, violence against women and domestic violence, in practice there has been an increase in this form of discrimination both through the actions of certain institutions of the system and the political establishment, as well as through the actions of the media. That is why it is necessary to improve regulations in the field of media in the direction of defining social media as a media in the legal sense with all the responsibilities that this entails, especially since at the level of the European Union such regulations are adopted. In addition to the provision prohibiting discrimination and hate speech, media laws should also include a provision prohibiting sexism. Of great importance would be preventive action towards the education of media workers and media service providers, as much as the placement of sexist content in the long run is harmful to the state of democratic institutions and human rights of a society.