Regulation of Internet Hate Sites

The growth on the internet has come with several challenges as it has become a platform to express defamatory statements and sites. Those who propagate hate speech through the internet do so for two purposes; to intimidate their target that in most cases is the minority. They intend to lower their social status and dignity and in most cases their agenda is achieved. Most of these sites aim at degrading a certain class of people that has undergone through historical injustices and oppression.

All people should feel secure and protected in today’s society. To do this, all the sites that propagate hate speech should be regulated. The reason most countries do not regulate these sites is because they think that the free speech is only an expression of thought. They assume that for one to offend the other there must be an action involved. If we wait for people to change and start posting a positive speech, the harm will be done already. Installing a software can filter contents that are directed to a group or an individual. People have suggested that once a defamatory statement has been directed to someone, and we console them. It seems absurd because this person will have been defamed already. The best way to protect these minority groups is through censoring these statements whose aim is to defame.

Monitoring these hate sites, many may argue that it infringes on the right of expression and free speech. Yes, it may seem so but is it better to see someone suffer because another person’s ignorance? Free speech is not by attacking others directly or indirectly. As long as the information posted in these sites is to defame, that is not free speech since its aim is to harm others.

References

Leets, L. (2001). Responses to Internet Hate Sites: Is Speech Too Free in Cyberspace?. Communication Law & Policy, 6(2), 287-317.

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