Dr. Murtaza Shaikh
Online Safety Principal, OfCom
2023
Dr. Shaikh is an Online Safety Principal at Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator. Following the passage of the Online Safety Bill, Ofcom will have powers to require online services to minimise the presence and spread of illegal and harmful content online. He is responsible for leading and delivering Ofcom’s regulatory approach to online hate, terrorism and other illegal harms.
He was previously Senior Advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, where he drafted the ‘Effective Guidelines on Hate Speech, Social Media and Minorities’ and led on engagement with social media companies. He was also Co-Director of Averroes, a think tank focusing on religious hatred, counter-extremism and integration. His expert insights have been relied on by the late Jo Cox MP, Home Affairs Committee, Government Departments, Law Commission and international human rights mechanisms at the UN and Council of Europe. He also advised the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on conflict prevention and incitement to religious hatred as well litigating landmark cases at international and regional human rights mechanisms.
He holds a PhD from SOAS on the ‘Protection of Religious Minorities under International Law and Islamic Law’ and an LLM from Essex University in International Human Rights Law.
At the Summit
The Summit was more than empty words – it made clear that a solution-driven approach is the only way to fight hate. That’s why the working group activities, which are results driven are going to be critical in defeating violent extremism. The Summit brought together the best minds in government, private sector, academia, and civil society. Being surrounded by these experts sparked new ideas – some of which I’ve already implemented or have written about.
