New FGV study shows tension between measures to fight hate speech and accusations of censorship on social media 

A study by Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Department of Public Policy Analysis (FGV DAPP) reveals tension between measures to fight hate speech and censorship on social networks. Debate about this gained impetus after recent episodes, such as when a black shopper was beaten to death in a supermarket in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, when President Donald Trump had his social media accounts suspended, and when tech companies started to remove many social media influencers’ content and cancel their profiles.

The study, titled Hate speech in digital environments: definitions, specific circumstances and the context of online discrimination in Brazil, focusing on Twitter and Facebook, looked at public debate about hate speech and censorship. It analyzed 11 million tweets and 34,000 Facebook posts made between November 2020 and February 2021.

Evolution of the hate speech and censorship debate on Facebook

Period: November 15, 2020 to February 11, 2021

Evolution of the volume of interactions on Twitter

Period: November 16, 2020 to February 06, 2021

Recent episodes indicate that although there are guidelines for penalties for people who post offensive content, detection of this type of post is still very complex and not very transparent. The debate regarding hate speech on Twitter and Facebook focuses on issues such as misogyny and racism.

On the other hand, debate about censorship intensified when Trump’s accounts were penalized while he was still U.S. president. Posts questioning the outcome of the presidential election have been linked to the invasion of Congress by extremist groups. The suspension of accounts mobilized networks in their approach to censorship on platforms around the expression of their users’ opinions, both on Twitter and Facebook;

Considering the evolution of online debate in the analyzed period, the study pointed to tension between structural and personal understanding of discrimination. This means that for some stakeholders, this is central to democratic maturity and for that reason it must be in the public arena, but for others, this kind of speech destabilizes the political realm without producing effective changes.

Finally, the penalties imposed by platforms, interfering with the flow of posts and activities of certain actors, intensified debate on freedom of expression, leading to questioning not of its legitimacy, but of its limits.

The increase in the flow of hate speech and censorship debate based on the repercussions of news at national and international levels confirm the role of news media in intensifying ongoing discussions on the researched platforms. Together with public figures who have many followers, especially artists and politicians, they continue to be a fundamental actor for the expansion of public debate.

The study, Hate speech in digital environments: definitions, specific circumstances and the context of online discrimination in Brazil, focusing on Twitter and Facebook, was carried out by FGV DAPP as part of the Digitalization and Democracy in Brazil Project, with the support of the German Embassy in Brasilia. The project, which will run until 2022, is benefiting from FGV DAPP’s experience in applied research into social networks and public policy analysis expertise.

To see the complete study, click here.