Hate speech could be efficiently addressed and prosecuted based on how it is operationalized, yet, according to the authors of this study, existing theoretical definitions remain insufficiently developed and difficult to apply in practice.
To address this limitation, an empirical definition of hate speech is developed with the input of interdisciplinary experts, and a set of ten indicators introduced, based on observable and measurable characteristics.
A preliminary exploratory analysis focusing on comments related to migrants shows that two indicators—denial of human rights and the promotion of violent behavior—play a central role within the network of hate speech indicators.
The practical implications of using these indicators is also discussed, particularly for the (semi-)automatic detection of hate speech through the methods of natural language processing and machine learning.
Overall, the proposed framework aims to be a pragmatic approach to hate speech assessment and detection, with potential benefits for researchers, educators, human rights advocates, analysts, and regulators seeking more operable and measurable definitions of hate speech.
Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40747-021-00561-0
Reference
Papcunová, J., Martončik, M., Fedáková, D., Kentoš, M., Bozogáňová, M., Srba, I., Moro, R., Pikuliak, M., Šimko, M., & Adamkovič, M. (2023). Hate speech operationalization: A preliminary examination of hate speech indicators and their structure. Complex & Intelligent Systems, 9(3), 2827–2842