Number of participants: Maximum of 25

Objectives:

Assess the challenges in reaching consensus on definitions of hate speech.

Analyze methodological difficulties in identifying and monitoring online hate speech.

Present research and practical initiatives aimed at addressing the issue in Brazil.

Format and Methodology:

The workshop will be conducted through thematic presentations, case studies, and interactive panel discussions. Facilitators will foster a collaborative environment for experience sharing and the development of practical solutions.

Target Audience:

This workshop is intended for researchers, academics, technology experts, and other individuals interested in studying and combating online hate speech.

Abstract:

This workshop will explore methodological challenges in the analysis and response to online hate speech in Brazil. It will discuss key conceptual issues and monitoring approaches related to this phenomenon, considering the national context and the specific characteristics of digital platforms. The event will bring together experts to share experiences and methodologies applied in research and initiatives aimed at mitigating hate speech.

The first challenge is conceptual: both international and Brazilian academic literature adopt a wide range of definitions to categorize harmful, uncivil, and dangerous speech. However, there is no consensus on the most appropriate terminology and classifications (Dourado et al., 2023; Da Silva & Neto, 2021; Silva & Francisco, 2021; Schäfer, Leivas, & dos Santos, 2015).

In this context, panelists Tatiana Dourado and Viktor Chagas are co-authors of an article proposing a typology of four types of harmful online discourse: uncivil speech, conspiratorial speech, hate speech, and dangerous speech (Dourado et al., 2024).

Additionally, the Pegabot Project, developed by the Institute for Technology and Society and which supports victims of online hate speech, has engaged in debates about the challenges of defining this phenomenon. The lack of a widely accepted academic definition hinders the development of effective solutions to ensure victims' access to justice.

Another important contribution to the conceptual debate comes from researcher Letícia Sabbatini, who conducts studies on gender-based political violence. Her work includes relevant definitions of hate speech, as presented in studies such as the Map of Gender Political Violence Against Women (Sabbatini et al., 2023). Thus, the workshop aims to foster debate on conceptual definitions, questioning whether the classifications currently used are the most appropriate.

The second major challenge is methodological. The discontinuation or monetization of data access by platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Meta has made it increasingly difficult to analyze online hate speech. Previously, it was possible to track, map, and visualize these occurrences with greater ease, but changes in data access policies have made monitoring more opaque. In light of this scenario, the workshop will promote a discussion on alternative methodologies, including data scraping techniques and new strategies for social media analysis.

Even on platforms that still provide some access to data, such as YouTube, challenges remain in efficiently mapping, categorizing, and filtering hate speech. To address this issue, facilitators Gabriella da Costa and Karina Santos, from the Pegabot project, along with researcher Fábio Malini, have been exploring the use of artificial intelligence for the automated analysis of hate speech.

Furthermore, the workshop will feature insights from João Guilherme Santos, director of Democracia em Xeque and author of various studies on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and YouTube. His work involves the use of large-scale data for analyzing online discourse. With these experts, the workshop will offer a collaborative space for developing innovative solutions to monitor online hate speech.

References

Da Silva, G. N. P., Silva, T. H. C., & Neto, J. D. C. G. (2021). Freedom of expression and its limits: An analysis of hate speech in the era of fake news. Revista Argumenta, (34), 415–437.

Dourado, T., Chagas, V., et al. (2024). Online disinformation in Brazil: A typology of discursive action of harmful political content on WhatsApp and Facebook. International Journal of Communication, 18, 25.

Sabbatini, L., et al. (2023). Map of Gender Political Violence on Digital Platforms. Niterói: coLAB/UFF.

Schäfer, G., Leivas, P. G. C., & dos Santos, R. H. (2015). Hate speech: From conceptual approach to parliamentary discourse. Revista de Informação Legislativa, 52(207), 143–158.

Silva, L. R. L., Francisco, R. E. B., & Sampaio, R. C. (2021). Hate speech on digital social networks: Types and forms of intolerance on Jair Bolsonaro’s official Facebook page.