Online heckling - what is it and how to win against it?

We are spending more and more time online - not only searching for the materials we need for work and study or shopping. Above all, we have moved our social life and interactions to the Internet, and we share our thoughts and express our opinions in forums, groups or comments. We put a lot of information about ourselves and our lives online. However, we must expect to be judged - not always positively. It is not only celebrities who are affected by online hate speech. Ordinary people are also exposed to it. What is hate speech anyway? How can you fight it and win? We are covering this topic in today's article because we believe it is very important and we need to be constantly reminded of the dangers of hegay.

Hate speech online

Heyt is a term that comes from the English language, in which it simply means hatred. This hatred manifests itself in the form of aggressive, offensive, provocative commentsThe term "hater" refers to anyone who uses hate speech to provoke arguments, insults and deliberately lowers the self-esteem of others on social media platforms, for example. Anyone who uses hate speech, aims to provoke an argument, insults and intentionally lowers the self-esteem of other users, e.g. social media platforms, deserves to be called a heter.

Until a few years ago, hate speech was a fringe phenomenon. Unfortunately, today it's hard to get through the day without witnessing hate online. Celebrities and people active on social media are hated - for how they look, for what they have said or what they have kept silent. Entire social groups (e.g. the unemployed, teachers) are also exposed to negative comments, as well as religious, sexual, national or ethnic minorities. Although it is sad to admit, posts calling for gender discrimination are also the order of the day online. 

Online hate is dangerous no matter who it affects. However, there is another group that is particularly vulnerable to its consequences. I am talking about children and young people. They fall prey to hegemony but do not know how to react. In 2017, a good few years ago, an alarming report with the telling title 'Wolves and sheep on the internet' was made available. It shows that as many as 43% of people between the ages of 12 and 24 have experienced heckling first-hand, and 20% respondents admitted to spreading hate speech online. Of course, bullying and harassment is nothing new among young people. However, thanks to the Internet, this phenomenon has become even more widespread than before, and the barrier between the hater and the victim, in the form of a monitor, makes stalkers feel impunity.

Internet hate speech - causes and consequences

There can be many reasons for hate speech, but psychologists point most often to:

• sense of strengthwhich results from being (apparently) anonymous online
• dissatisfaction with one's living situationa desire to vent frustrations - to vent at others
• jealousy - a common cause when it comes to heckling successful celebrities
• extremely radical political views
• prejudices and stereotypes towards certain groups in society
• belonging to a group that spreads hate speech, can make even a person who we would otherwise call good, empathetic, join the wave of heckling
• an unreasonable desire to offend others

Studies continue to be conducted in which specialists try to better understand the mechanism of online hate speech. One thing is certain - the results of such research do not fill us with optimism.

You have already learnt about the most common causes of hate speech. It is time to move on to the very difficult subject of its consequences. Why is this a difficult topic? Because there is no shortage of cases in which hate speech has led to tragic consequences. Victims of hate speech struggle with low self-esteem, which very often leads to depression and, in extreme situations, even suicide attempts and death. The problem mainly affects teenagers. People who are heckled usually do not come forward for help and sometimes do not even 'admit' to family and relatives that they have been victims of hate speech. 

What is the penalty for spreading hatred on the internet?

Although provisions on hate speech are not found in the law, this does not mean that there is no criminal liability for it. The definition of hate speech includes, among other things, defamation and insult. This in turn is punishable by a fine or even a sentence of restriction or imprisonment up to one year. Also incitement to discrimination is punishable by a fine, restriction or imprisonment (this time up to two years). Victims of self-initiated hate speech are also increasingly filing lawsuits in the courts for infringement of personal rights, and the fines that are handed down are high. The hecklers need to be aware that are not at all anonymous and unpunishedand their actions have real consequences. However, it is important to remember that not all criticism is a manifestation of hate speech.

Difficult fight against haters

You already know what heckling is, what its causes are and what its consequences are. It's time to learn how to respond to it and how to stop it. First and foremost you can't (virtually) walk past it. If you witness hate speech being used on a group, forum, any service, you should report this to the administrator. It is his/her responsibility to respond to the report. When you yourself are the victim of a hateful post, remember to take a snapshot of the offending post. In this way, you will have proof of the posting by the hater in the event that he/she removes the comment from the site. Such proof is necessary if you decide to take the matter to court. 

What else should we bear in mind when we are directly affected by hate speech? After all, we don't always decide to take legal action. Sometimes it is best to distance yourself and let the discussion goif we see that it does not make sense. We know this is difficult, especially when we have been unfairly attacked and hurt. However, this is exactly what haters want - to feel they have an impact on someone's life. It takes a great deal of strength of character to ignore the taunts, but it is usually at this point that the haters let go. 

What else can be done to combat hate speech? First and foremost educate - even the youngest online users - what hate speech is, what it can lead to and how to defend against it. However, whether it is hate speech or manifestations of hatred "in real life" will not disappear until, and unless, we learn empathy and respect for one another.