Defamation Leads Digital Violence Against Female Candidates
A recent report by the National Observatory for Protection from Digital Violence, in collaboration with the Association of Challenge for Equality and Citizenship, revealed that digital violence against female candidates in the 2026 Moroccan parliamentary elections primarily focuses on defamation and belittlement based on gender. Additionally, it includes the dissemination of unverified information, fake news, rumors, violations of privacy, and threats and intimidation. The report indicated that there are 481 cases of defamation out of 628 documented reports, representing 76.6%. The study also recorded 436 instances of hate speech and belittlement, 405 cases involving the spreading of unverified information, 376 cases of fake news, 271 cases of privacy violation, and 64 cases of threats and intimidation. Data shows that these violations often occur together in the same incident, such as the combination of defamation and belittlement (52.5%) or defamation and privacy violations. Legally, it was noted that the amendments to the organic law in January 2026 included regulations on social media and artificial intelligence, considering them potential tools for committing criminal electoral acts. The report called for strengthening the legal and institutional framework, developing a national mechanism for reporting digital violations during the elections, and emphasized the importance of protecting female candidates and raising awareness about digital safety to combat defamation, threats, and organized targeting.
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