In light of evidence showing that many young people are frequently exposed to hateful content on social media, in this systematic narrative review the analysis of political implications of online hate speech is proposed. It addresses three key questions: the main drivers of hate speech on social media, its political consequences, and the strategies proposed in political science to counter these dynamics.
Based on an analysis of 79 articles from political science and international relations, the author finds that online hate is linked to factors such as social media platform policies, regulatory frameworks, perceived threats to in-group identity, far-right and populist rhetoric, politically significant events like elections, traditional media narratives, post-truth dynamics, and historical animosities.
The literature also indicates that hate speech contributes to the normalization of discriminatory behavior, silences opposing voices, and mobilizes organized hate.
To address these effects, it is found that political science research emphasizes the role of online deterrence mechanisms, counter-speech, allyship, and digital literacy as key strategies for combating hate in the social media era.
Learn more about this review here: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14100610
Reference
Kentmen-Cin, C. (2025). Hate Speech on Social Media: A Systemic Narrative Review of Political Science Contributions. Social Sciences, 14(10), 610