A. Recognizing and analyzing online hate speech

CHAPTER 2

There must have been some point in our life that -either we realize it or not- we have participated or at least observed some hostile narrative against a person or a group of people occurring online or in the real world. Let’s take a moment and self-reflect on it…How did we feel about our role in the incident? Were we vulnerable, powerful, cold, harassed, scared or felt justified for our actions? Did we accept it, try to avoid it, react or overpass it? Did we do anything about it? What was that? Or why not? If you are having a hard time thinking of any incident, don;t go too far…Hateful behaviours don’t necessarily need to be extremely harsh, extraordinary or too “loud”. They are easily hidden in random everyday moments -some of which might even seem quite innocent and harmless- though they actually cause a lot of pain, distress and negative emotions to their victims. Let’s go through the following scenario and try to analyse and comment on it:

Mary, Susan, Jack and Joe are classmates, friends and spend a lot of time together. Recently there has been a new addition in their class: Albert – a black boy who was born in Zambia but was raised in Europe since the age of 3. Albert’s arrival in the school has not been unnoticed and the group of friends seems quite interested, as the incident is widely discussed on the private group chat they have on social media. Albert has felt some unfriendly vibes in the class but he is new and doesn’t want to say anything that might provoke them or make things worse – after all, he hasn’t had enough time to make any friends yet. Maybe he wasn’t open enough to them and owns some part of the blame too. Mary and Jack – both of them being the “life and soul of the party” and always the most popular students in the class, seem to be rather annoyed by Albert’s arrival, as his personality got the attention of the rest of their classmates and he turned to be on the spotlight of their friends’ interest, though to Mary and Jack he is a little irritating and weird: his style is awkward, his hair is strange and he has an accent that is making it hard to understand when he speaks. Mary and Jack start joking a lot about Albert, sharing a few funny comments about Albert on the group chat, and creating some hilarious memes and GIFs making fun of his style. At some point they come up with a great idea! Wouldn’t it be really funny if they created a fake account and started sharing this comment publicly? For sure they would collect hundreds of views and likes and they would have such a hard laugh on this! Susan, who has been laughing a lot with the comments in the group chat (and even created a few memes on her own) – and, honestly, it felt so good being a member of the “Gang” as they call their friendship!-, is a little sceptical about going public, thinking that it might have negative psychological effects on the new boy. Joe is reading all the messages, liking a few of the posts, but has not yet expressed his opinion over this idea, nor was he the one to create any posts on his own. Mary and Jack are very surprised by Susan’s weird behaviour – she has never been that conservative and lacking humour, what’s wrong with her? They thought she loved the “Gang”! Being a little annoyed by this twist, they tell her openly that she should no longer hang out with them and become friends with the black intruder – though this betrayal could not be easily forgiven. Anyway, Mary and Jack are intending to go ahead with their plan – at the end of the day they won’t do any serious harm, they just want to have a nice laugh! Seeing this turn of the conversation, although Joe could understand Susan’s point, he decides not to open his mouth and eventually gives up, not knowing what to do, or whether he should actually do something about it. After all, he loves his friends and there is no reason to ruin their friendship over a meaningless misunderstanding!

Easy and familiar as it might seem, this scenario is more than usual among young people, regardless of age – from children to youth and young adults. How would it look if we tried to deconstruct it, analyze the characters and search for alternatives in each questioned behaviour. Let’s have a look:

Role: PERPETRATORS – Mary and Jack

Characteristics:

● They usually belong to the majority – 2 out of 4 friends in the group
● They influence or are accepted by a large portion of people – both of them being the “life and soul of the party” and always the most popular students in the class

Behavioural elements:

● They need to overshow power – they tell her openly that she should no longer hang out with them, Anyway Mary and Jack are intending to go ahead with their plan
● They try to impose their opinion on others with the threat of consequences – this betrayal could not be easily forgiven
● They hide behind anonymity – if they created a fake account and started sharing this comment publicly
● Not recognizing their harmful behaviour and blaming others for not accepting it – very surprised by Susan’s weird behaviour – she has never been that conservative and lacking humour, what’s wrong with her?
● Twisting reality and creating feelings of guilt to those who disagree – They thought she loved the “Gang”!

They feel…

● Insecure, but need to feel powerful/strong/accepted- seem to be rather annoyed by Albert’s arrival, as his personality got the attention of the rest of their classmates and he turned to be on the spotlight of their friends’ interest
● revenge/hatred/anger/suppressed emotions (that are often not related to their victims) – they would have such a hard laugh on this!, Being a little annoyed by this twist, the black intruder

Role: VICTIMS – Albert

Characteristics:

● They usually belong to a minority (vulnerable, marginalized or disadvantaged group) – a black boy who was born in Zambia, his style is awkward, his hair is strange and he has an accent
● They lack peer support – a new addition in their class, he hasn’t had enough time to make any friends yet

Behavioural elements:

● Unwilling or skeptical to react – he is new and doesn’t want to say anything that might provoke them or make things worse
● Turning introvert and feeling guilty – has felt some unfriendly vibes in the class, maybe he wasn’t open enough to them and owns some part of the blame

They feel…

● unable to defend themselves – he hasn’t had enough time to make any friends yet, he is new and doesn’t want to say anything that might provoke them or make things worse
● loneliness/embarrassment/low self-esteem – he hasn’t had enough time to make any friends yet

Role: BYSTANDERS – Susan and Joe

Characteristics:

● They usually belong to the majority – 2 out of 4 friends in the group
● They are less powerful than the perpetrators – neither Susan or Joe are the head figures of the group

Behavioural elements:

● passively observe – has not yet expressed his opinion over this idea
● often follow or support perpetrators (in order to feel accepted) – Susan, who has been laughing a lot with the comments in the group chat (and even created a few memes on her own), Joe is reading all the messages, liking a few of the posts,

They feel…

● Scared to become victims or be marginalised – although Joe could understand Susan’s point, he decides not to open his mouth and eventually gives up, not knowing what to do, or whether he should actually do something about it, he loves his friends and there is no reason to ruin their friendship over a meaningless misunderstanding
● Insecure to oppose to the perpetrators – although Joe could understand Susan’s point, he decides not to open his mouth and eventually gives up, not knowing what to do, or whether he should actually do something about it, he loves his friends and there is no reason to ruin their friendship over a meaningless misunderstanding
● The need to belong somewhere – it felt so good being a member of the “Gang” as they call their friendship!
● Less guilty due to passive and not energetic behaviour – nor was he the one to create any posts on his own

After mapping the basic characteristics of each role in any case of hostile behaviour, it is quite obvious that these elements apply in any incident slightly adjusted to the circumstances given. But, how and why do people turn to these forms of behaviour? Is it in human nature? Are we somehow taught to behave like this to each other? Does it run in our blood?
Well, the truth is that the upgrowing of a person, the individual characteristics of their personality, as well as the norms and habits of society and our background play an equally important role in one’s behaviour. And, yes, no school or family would ever (hopefully) teach a person how to be harmful to another human being, though there are well hidden narratives lurking in the corner, to pass these messages subconsciously and eventually lead us to a certain type of behaviour. Narratives that are projecting discrimination, prejudice, inequity, or even propaganda.
And in case this sounds too scientific or complex, let’s take a look into the innocent world of…fairytales!

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