Reporting Hate Speech Ethically

Kiara Recchione
kr604316@ohio.edu

What is Hate Speech?

Hate speech is not necessarily a new phenomenon in the United States, but it is certainly receiving an increase in attention due to the rise of social media. Hate speech can be defined as verbal and nonverbal expression used to intentionally demean, oppress, or promote violence toward a group of people based on their ethnic or social group. It is most commonly utilized by people belonging to a majority or dominant population who feel threatened by a minority population. Almost anyone can be a target of hate speech in regard to factors like race, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, disability, and age.

The Role of Social Media

Social media gives users across the world the ability to easily and effectively communicate with each other, but it also leads to serious negative consequences. With this ease in communication comes a new way to organize groups for a cause, whether positive or negative. The age of social media has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of users banding together in order to share hate speech targeted at a particular group or various groups. After the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh last October, numerous social media platforms saw an uptick in anti-Semitic rhetoric spread online. This is extremely concerning due to the tendency of these social media groups to radicalize users.

White Supremacy on the Internet

When many Americans think of terrorism within the United States, they are likely to cite Islamic terrorists. However, this judgement does not reflect the majority of attacks due to the heavy presence of white supremacists that are a threat to millions of Americans, according to an article by the Columbia Journalism Review. From the race riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, to the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, the perpetrators of these hate crimes had a presence on social media. In the past, white supremacists were confined to their individual organizations like the Klu Klux Klan, but are now capable of reaching a national audience. This significant influence has the potential to spread hate at an alarming rate.

Photo courtesy of whowhatwhy.com

Depiction of Hate Crime Perpetrators in the Media

In order to combat the negative influence of those that commit hate crimes, it is the duty of the press to report these crimes fairly and responsibly. Unfortunately, there has been a pattern of articles released lately that are seemingly relaxed in their critique of white nationalists. In 2017, the New York Times released an article that effectively normalized the presence of an extremist party in rural Ohio. This is extremely problematic because the interviewee was not held accountable for his controversial views, just simply given publicity.

How to Report Hate

Resulting from the discrepancies in hate speech and hate crime reporting, the news organization ProPublica took it upon themselves to gather accurate data regarding the phenomenon in the United States. In this all-encompassing account of hate rhetoric and actions across the country, ProPublica held police forces, government institutions, and the individual perpetrators at a high standard. It is necessary to focus on the facts and the facts only. Sympathizing with those who threaten the livelihood of countless Americans has no room in the free press.