#NOHATESPEECH

Get over your shock!

Although almost all of us have come across hateful comments online before, very few people actually do anything about it. Instead, when confronted by hate, we are paralyzed by shock. We don’t know whether we should respond or how, so we quickly scroll on. How could we respond, take a stand against hate, and make discussions more constructive?

1Show solidarity!

It is important for the victims of hate to see other people taking action. After all, a lack of solidarity can be almost as bad as hate itself. That means taking a clear stand in response to hateful comments. It’s also a good idea to contact the people who have been targeted with a direct message to comfort them.

2Stay calm and don’t let yourself be provoked

Admittedly easier said than done! Although a swift res­ponse is good, it’s not essential. Particularly when you’re emotionally charged, taking a breath and doing some­thing else first can be a good way of clearing your head.

3Use fact checkers!

Generalizations and fake news are often used to incite hatred against certain groups. In these cases, it makes sense to counter assertions with facts. Doing this is not always as difficult as you might think. False stories and reports that crop up again and again on the internet will often already have been debunked by professional fact checkers such as Correctiv, Mimikama, Tagesschau Faktenfinder, and ZDFheuteCheck.

4Report posts or comments that breach rules!

You can do this on Facebook by clicking the three dots at the top edge of a post. The administrator is then required to check the post or comment and delete it, if appropriate. When reporting hateful or harmful content to the police it is important to take screenshots or back up the link, ideally with the name and date/time. In Germany, you can file reports either online or at any police station.

5Practice taking on the haters!

Many of the groups that work against on­line hate speech and marginalization offer free online courses during which people can practice responding and try out new strate­gies in a safe space. These can be found, e.g., at #ichbinhier, the Amadeu Antonio Foundation or at LOVE‑Storm.

Some 21 percent of internet users in Germany have responded to hate speech by criticizing it. Some 29 percent have reported hate speech to the relevant online portal, and 1 percent have reported hate speech to the police.*
*The Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia 2022

Countering hate with knowledge

1#TAKEPART-Stories

Our #TAKEPART stories initiative explains how digi­tali­zation is changing our lives and how we can benefit from the oppor­tunities it offers while also critically examining the risks involves. We offer guides for workshops, of varying lengths, on focus topics such as digital democracy, civil courage online, gaming and opinion manipulation online. The guides are available in German, English and simplified language.

2Teachtoday

Our “Digital Civil Courage” series, on the Teachtoday, platform, is a teaching and guidance resource for parents, grandparents, and teachers seeking to give children and young people a better under­standing of what “online hate speech” is all about. Teachtoday offers more than 100 units on digital topics, including materials aimed at children between the ages of 9 and 12 and children between the ages of 13 and 16. The materials, all of which are available free of charge, include videos and exercises for both home and classroom settings.

3The SCROLLER children’s magazine

The “Courage on the Net” issue of our SCROLLER children’s magazine tells kids how to become an online hero – and what different kinds of strengths people show in countering abuse.