A few days before Christmas, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon were barred from entering the US – on grounds of alleged censorship. Yet through HateAid, they are campaigning to ensure that illegal content and violence are prosecuted online as well. The aim of their non-profit organisation is to make the internet a positive place where democratic values apply to everyone.
Through their work, the two HateAid directors unwittingly found themselves at the centre of a conflict between Europe and US tech interests. Whilst their case is not an isolated one, it illustrates how civil society activism is coming under increasing pressure.
What is needed now? At re:publica 26, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon will discuss the implications of this – and what it means for the protection of our digital sovereignty. They will talk about the personal consequences, concerns within the team and organisational upheavals – but also about their resistance.
Anna-Lena von Hodenberg is a trained journalist. In 2018, she co-founded HateAid gGmbH together with Campact e. V., Fearless Democracy e. V. and a practising lawyer committed to combating right-wing violence. Through her non-profit organisation, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg campaigns for human rights in the digital sphere. In 2020, she was awarded the Digital Female Leader Award; in 2021, she was named one of the “Top 40 under 40” by Capital magazine and appointed an “Ashoka Fellow”. The reason: HateAid.
Josephine Ballon is a solicitor. Since late 2023, she has co-led HateAid as a managing director alongside Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, having initially served as the organisation’s Head of Legal from 2019 onwards. Josephine Ballon is committed to improving the legal framework for victims of digital violence – who have hitherto been largely left without protection – and to ensuring they have access to justice. As a policy expert, she comments on issues relating to the prosecution of online hate crimes, gender-based digital violence and platform regulation.