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01 August 2024

Spain: Annual report on hate speech monitoring on social media

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This 2023 annual report by OBERAXE provides critical insights into the prevalence and characteristics of hate speech on social media in Spain. It calls for urgent action from all stakeholders to address this pervasive issue and protect the rights and dignity of all individuals in the digital space. The report highlights the need for continuous and multidimensional strategies to combat hate speech, including awareness-raising, training, legislative tools, and technological solutions. 

Report overview

The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), under the State Secretariat for Migration of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, released its 2023 Annual Report on Hate Speech Monitoring on Social Media. This comprehensive report compiles data from daily monitoring of racist, xenophobic, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, and anti-Roma hate speech across five major platforms: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X. The report aims to provide valuable insights into the prevalence and characteristics of hate speech online, and to inform public policy and societal responses.

The monitoring initiative has two primary objectives:

  1. To evaluate the behaviour of social media platforms in moderating hate content. This includes assessing whether platforms remove reported hate content, the time taken to do so, the information provided to users, and any improvements in moderation strategies and tools.
  2. To describe the main characteristics of identified hate speech, including the affected population groups, types of speech, severity, and triggering episodes.

The report reveals that out of 2 655 pieces of hate speech content identified, only 49.4% were removed by the platforms. TikTok had the highest removal rate at 77.7%, followed by Instagram at 62.5%. The most targeted groups were North Africans (33.7%) and those subjected to Islamophobia (26.2%). Other significant targets included people of African descent and immigrants in general. The most common forms of hate speech included dehumanisation (53.7%), discrediting based on personal attributes (41.6%), and incitement to violence (24.4%). Explicit aggressive speech was the most prevalent (54%), followed by non-aggressive discriminatory speech (39.5%) and ironic or sarcastic tones (6.5%). Public insecurity was the most frequent trigger for hate speech (39.5%), followed by events like the arrival of small boats and sporting events.

The findings highlight the inadequacy of current content moderation practices on social media platforms, with less than half of the reported hate speech being removed. Platforms are more responsive to content flagged by trusted users than by normal users. This discrepancy underscores the need for improved moderation strategies and greater transparency in the processes used by social media companies.

The data shows a significant impact on specific demographic groups, particularly North Africans and Muslims, reflecting broader societal prejudices and the influence of current events. The report underscores the importance of addressing these issues through comprehensive public policies and societal efforts to combat hate speech and promote social cohesion.

Recommendations

To address these challenges, the report makes several recommendations. Enhanced collaboration between public administrations, civil society organizations, and internet platforms is essential to create a safer digital environment. Social media platforms should improve their content moderation strategies and be more transparent about their processes. Developing and promoting counter-narratives to challenge and discredit hate speech is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and respectful online discourse. Additionally, increasing support for victims of hate speech through accessible reporting mechanisms and professional assistance is vital. Implementing and enforcing robust legal frameworks to address hate speech and protect vulnerable groups is also recommended.

Spain_OBERAXE_hatespeechsocial_2024
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Details

Authors
Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE)
Geographic area
Spain
Contributor type
National governmental actor
Original source
Posted by
Francesco Pasetti - CIDOB
Country Coordinator

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