A newly released book unpacks the most serious adverse societal impacts of social media platforms on a global scale

WILMINGTON, Del. - July 2, 2024 - PRLog -- Over the past two decades, the adverse societal impacts of social media platforms have been raising growing concern among influential voices such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, the European Agency for Fundamental Rights, Amnesty International, UNESCO, and many others. The overall understanding is that these digital spaces have become breeding grounds for the worrisome manifestation of a myriad of online harassment and abuse.

In this context, it also calls our attention that most studies exploring this phenomenon have primarily focused on English-speaking countries such as the US and the UK. Nonetheless, Hate speech and abusive behaviour on social media: A cross-cultural perspective breaks new ground in this area by investigating hate speech from a wider perspective.

This pioneering research unpacks the societal impacts of hate speech and abusive behaviour on social media across diverse cultural contexts. It was developed out from the analysis of over 100 previous studies originally published in Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Altogether, it covers 11 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, and Spain.

Then, by analysing the phenomenon through these non-hegemonic languages and diverse social contexts, the book highlights the importance of considering cultural, historical and linguistic factors to better understand hate speech and online harassment.

As a consequence, Dr Trindade's work reveals the dual role played by social media as both a catalyst and vehicle for spreading hate and abuse. Thus, the publication calls our attention to the fact that these digital technologies significantly impact individuals, vulnerable social groups, society, and even democracy. Ultimately, they enable offenders to spread aggressive and discriminatory ideologies, often attracting like-minded individuals who, combined, challenge social conventions, norms of conviviality and undermine social cohesion.

This book is an essential resource for students, scholars, and researchers in sociology, criminology, media and communication studies, and digital humanities. It also offers invaluable insights for policymakers, leaders of NGOs, educators, parents, journalists, and anyone interested in understanding and tackling social media's adverse societal impacts.

About the Publication
Book Title: Hate speech and abusive behaviour on social media: A cross-cultural perspective (https://www.vernonpress.com/book/2062)
Publisher: Vernon Press (Wilmington, DE)
ISBN: 979-8-8819-0024-3
Edition: 1^st
Number of pages: 132
Illustrations: 7 B&W
Book trailer: https://youtu.be/-GPTlds-xP0