Mobilizing Pro-social Bystander Reactions to Online Hate Speech

• In Event: Hate Speech: Causes and Reactions

Abstract

Online hate speech constitutes a challenge to democracy through negative effects on political participation and quality of deliberation. This challenge is amplified by widespread apathy among witnesses. However, turning passive bystanders into active upstanders engaged in pro-social reactions, such as reporting and counter-speech, represents a potential remedy. In this paper, we investigate whether pro-social bystander reactions to online hate speech can be effectively mobilized. Building on insights from protection motivation theory we devise and test a set of interventions among US citizens. We show support that short text-based guidance encouraging bystanders to engage in counter-speech, reporting and support of victims in response to online hate speech increases such pro-social reactions on a mock social media platform. In a second study, we investigate further the efficiency of this intervention by comparing the text-based guidance to a speed-drawing video with the same message. We use a panel design to gauge the stickiness of intervention effects across time (after two and four weeks) as well as the effect of repeated exposure to the guidance message.

Authors

• Lasse Lindekilde, Aarhus University

• Tanja Marie Hansen, Aarhus University

• Simon Karg