The Language of Hate
Swati Maste, Chinmayi Shetty, Pallavi Prabhu, Richa Sharma, Arti Arya · 2025
This chapter examines the challenges posed by cyberbullying and hate speech in the realm of social networking platforms. While these platforms have provided avenues for free expression and connection, they have also accelerated the dissemination of hate speech and contributed to the prevalence of cyberbullying. Hate speech involves the use of insulting language based on preconceived notions and stereotypes, while cyberbullying entails purposeful and repeated harm inflicted on individuals online. Hate Speech in the name of freedom of Speech has its own repercussions, for example, when a politician made comments on religious beliefs, social media acted as a medium of hate propagation. Hate and violent remarks like these are making social media a hostile place. These global issues have garnered attention from nations and organizations, as they not only impact adults but also put young children at risk of online crimes and trolling. The detrimental effects include anxiety, low self-esteem, and stress while fostering a culture of intolerance and toxicity. With a significant proportion of individuals experiencing cyberbullying, the detection and mitigation of hate speech and cyberbullying require automated approaches. Various detection techniques, along with deep learning and machine learning models, are explored in this chapter. The chapter also discusses the impact of cyberbullying and hate speech on mental health, highlights state-of-the-art models for detection, and presents research challenges and future directions in the field. This chapter explores the critical role of AI-driven techniques in detecting and addressing cyberbullying and hate speech, which are increasingly prevalent threats within digital knowledge-sharing platforms. By examining the impact of such harmful content on online knowledge environments, the chapter highlights how cybersecurity measures can protect the integrity of knowledge systems, enabling safer and more inclusive digital spaces.