Online Hate & Bullying
UP End Bullying!
Bullying and hate-based violence negatively impact communities and can be related.
Bullying isolates people and can create hurt feelings that might eventually turn into something hateful. People who commit acts of violence have often been bullied themselves. If you see someone being bullied, either online or in person, stepping in to stop it is a great way to prevent bad outcomes for that person and your community.
Learn about how Hate-Based Violence and Bullying overlap.
If you are dealing with bullying and looking for support, or want to know more about bullying prevention, find more information here:
Sometimes it can be hard to tell if something is bullying or if it’s hate. The good news is the actions you can take to UP End Hate and stop bullying are often similar.
Learn more about how you can safely stand up for other people.
Up End Online Hate
7 out of 10 teens in grades 8-12
Observe hate online at least once a week. More than 33% come across hate online every day.
Most teens and young adults encounter online hate by chance, not by seeking it out.
The more aware you are of online negativity, the better you'll be at spotting it.
Online hate might appear as a viral tweet about racist conspiracy theories. It might also be a YouTube video making threats against a local LGBTQ+ charity. You’ll likely encounter it in social media videos, chat rooms, and live video games. Online hate is simply one aspect of harmful online behavior.
Harmful online behavior also includes online hate, which includes hateful posts or content shared online that targets people or groups based on their identity. You might come across online hate less often, but it has a way of seeping into all our feeds and chats.
Types of Harmful Online Behavior
Cyber Bullying
Cyber Bullying
Two girls at your school make a TikTok mocking another girl in your grade. They criticize her hair and off-brand clothes.
A classmate posts a public Instagram story spreading a rumor about his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend.
Grey Zone
Grey Zone
Your coworker posts about how the women in your office would get more work done if they gossiped less. He adds a “lol” so you can’t tell if he’s kidding.
A friend reposts a meme about Asian food that seems funny. When you look again, you realize that it’s a mean stereotype. You’re not sure if your friend knows the hidden meaning of the meme.
Online Hate
Online Hate
You see someone post a new article about a recent attack at a mosque. The caption praises the attacker and repeats anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.
You’re playing video games online when a player starts yelling anti-Semitic slurs. When a Jewish player asks them to stop, they threaten to find her and her family.
Online hate and cyberbullying create unsafe environments for everyone. You can interrupt harmful online behavior by reporting it to the platform or telling a trusted adult. If it feels safe to do so, you can also directly tell the bully that their behavior isn’t cool. Learn about how to interrupt acts of hate here.
Online hate can differ from cyberbullying in specific ways. If you want to learn more about the difference between the two, do that here:
Visit this link to read more about cyber-bullying:
What is Online Hate and Harassment?
Fulantelli, G., Taibi, D., Scifo, L., Schwarze, V., & Eimler, S. C. (2022). Cyberbullying and Cyberhate as Two Interlinked Instances of Cyber-Aggression in Adolescence: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 909299.
Quick Tips for online safety
Set your accounts to private.
Only accept follow requests from people you know.
Think before you post.
Don’t share private information like your address.
Set content settings to match your desired feed.
Ask to approve what your friends post about you.
This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, opportunity number DHS-23-GPD-067-00-01.
Eradicate Hate Global Summit
500 Grant Street, Suite 4500
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2514
info@eradicatehatesummit.org
