Hate speech - How do we deal with hate online?

Hate on the internet contributes to a brutalisation of interaction in the digital space. The impact on those affected is grave. Not only since the murder oft he German politician Walter Lübcke we have learned that words can become deeds. Effective criminal prosecution is important to emphasise the inappropriateness of criminal hate online. In Hesse, the ‘Hesse against hate speech’ reporting platform provides an easy way to report hate speech and extremist content. Those affected are provided with individualised support services if required. Relevant notificatons are forwarded to the Cybercrime Center of the Public Prosecutor General´s Office (ZIT) for the review of criminal liability. In criminal proceedings, the confrontation with the alleged offence often brings the defendant to critically reflect on his or her own behaviour for the first time. This is why we need – in addition to conventional criminal sanctions -, means to show perpetrators an active way out of the spiral of violence and agitation and thus to develop behavioural strategies to a non-violent communication in the future. The digital social training course run by the non-profit organisation STOP HATE in cooperation with ZIT may serve as an example. The participation in this course can be imposed as a condition for the discontinuation of criminal proceedings and is if successful a preventive victim protection.