The Manhattan Borough President, author of New York’s “Stop Hiding Hate” Act on social media transparency, was among the honorees of an evening celebrating Italy’s reputation in America
New York, October 14, 2026
Long before he took office as Manhattan Borough President in January 2026, Brad Hoylman-Sigal had already picked one of the defining fights of the digital age: making social media platforms explain how they handle hate.
As a New York State Senator, Hoylman-Sigal co-authored the “Stop Hiding Hate” Act with Assemblymember Grace Lee, in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League. Signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2024, the act requires social media companies operating in New York to publish their terms of service in plain language and to file reports with the State Attorney General. In those reports they must state whether their policies define hate speech, racism, extremism, disinformation, harassment, and foreign political interference, and disclose how they enforce those rules, including data on flagged and actioned content. “This will help boost accountability and transparency for social media companies,” Hoylman-Sigal said at the signing.
The law put New York at the center of the national debate on platform accountability. In 2025, as Attorney General Letitia James announced that platforms had to begin reporting, Elon Musk’s X filed a lawsuit challenging it. Hoylman-Sigal and Lee responded that they were confident the court would reject the case. Whatever the final outcome, the act has become a reference point in the broader conversation on how democracies can ask tech companies for transparency without dictating speech.
On Saturday, October 10, that track record of public service brought Hoylman-Sigal to the stage of Carnegie Hall, where he received the 2026 Italian Reputation Award. The citation honored him “for his commitment to public service and his tangible contribution to strengthening institutional and cultural ties between New York and Italy.” This year he signed a memorandum of understanding with Rome’s Municipio I, the first cultural cooperation agreement between the historic centers of the two cities, opening channels between institutions, museums, universities, and young people. The award was presented by Giulia Silvia Ghia, Rome’s Municipio I Councilor for Culture, who championed the agreement on the Italian side.
“The bonds between Manhattan and Italy run deep,” Hoylman-Sigal wrote in his welcome message to the audience. “Our partnership celebrates what our communities have long understood: culture has the power to connect people across borders.”
Created by Davide Ippolito, founder and president of the Italia America Reputation Lab, the Italian Reputation Award reached its third edition this year and was presented in partnership with Campus Salute. Fittingly for a prize devoted to reputation, it grows out of eighteen years of research on the subject, including a patent, and recognizes people whose work shapes how Italy is perceived around the world.
The 2026 honorees spanned public service, healthcare, academia, industry, sports, and art:
- Tino Ruta, President and CEO of Knights Care Global, recognized “for building and guiding healthcare platforms across complex regulatory and cross-jurisdictional environments in the United States and Europe.” The medal was presented by Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò.
- Andrea Mazzucchi, Rector of the University of Naples Federico II, a Dante scholar and member of the Accademia della Crusca, presented by Professor Annamaria Colao.
- Valter Quercioli, National President of Federmanager, Italy’s leading association of industrial managers, presented by Alfonso Cerullo of EssilorLuxottica.
- Nick Eyde, former pro football player and entrepreneur, who brought the Italian Bowl to Toledo, presented by Erica Di Giovancarlo, Italy’s Trade Commissioner in the U.S.
- Aldo Gallina, an artist who uses Braille as an artistic language, including an American flag designed to be read by touch, presented by actress Alice Lussiana Parente.
The evening also introduced a new Future Leader Under 30 award for young Italians making their mark in the United States. Campus Salute, whose physicians spent the week offering free preventive health consultations to New York’s Italian community, received a special recognition.
Hosted by Sky TG24 journalist Cristiana Mancini, the ceremony opened with students from La Scuola d’Italia Guglielmo Marconi singing the Italian and American national anthems, and closed with Puccini’s “Nessun dorma” performed by pianist Francesco Pollon. Each honoree received a handcrafted medal by goldsmith Marco De Luca, inspired by ancient Roman coins and bearing the image of Eucleia, the Greek goddess of good repute.
The award is promoted by Reputation Research, RetImpresa, Campus Salute, Progetto Alfa, and IARL – Italia America Reputation Lab.