Hate in the Digital Age: Correlates of the Production of Online Hate Material

• In Event: Violence, Aggression, and Hate Online

Abstract

What factors are associated with the production of hateful or degrading material online? We use data collected during the week of November 21, 2016, with funding from the National Institute of Justice, to address this question. Our data includes demographically balanced panels of people who voluntarily agreed to participate in research surveys.

Descriptive results show that 21.3% of our sample reported producing online material that other people would likely interpret as hateful or degrading. A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors that contributed to the production of online hate. We find that individuals who have been targeted by hate material online are five times as likely to also produce it, suggesting that they might populate dangerous online arenas. Those who reported engaging in impulsive behavior and individuals who adhere to deviant definitions of behavior are also more likely to produce hate online. Individuals who are closer to their friends are less likely to do so, suggesting that less social isolation is tied to a decreased likelihood of producing hate. Contrary to expectations, those who spend more time online are actually less likely to produce hate. Finally, men and self-identified political conservatives are more apt to produce hate online.

Authors

• Matthew Costello, Arkansas State University

• James Hawdon, Virginia Tech