By Helen Reynolds
Ever scrolled through your social media feed and felt like you stumbled into a war zone of hate – racist barbs, abusive rants, or just plain venom? It’s not your imagination. Something’s fueling a surge in toxic behavior online, but what’s behind it? Is it looser rules, algorithms chasing drama, or real-world tensions spilling into our feeds?
Studies point to a sharp rise in hate speech – slurs targeting race, gender, or identity – jumping as much as 50% in recent years. With fewer moderators patrolling digital spaces, divisive posts slip through the cracks. Algorithms, built to keep us hooked, often amplify the most inflammatory stuff because it gets clicks. Toss in monetisation, and some users churn out hate just to cash in. Then there’s the offline spark: think riots, immigration debates, or economic stress, all igniting virtual firestorms.
The anonymity of the internet also plays a big role. People say things online they’d never dare utter face-to-face, shielded by a screen and a username. Echo chambers intensify it – users are often shown content that confirms their worldview, reinforcing biases and making “the other side” seem less human. Once someone is dehumanised, hate becomes easier to justify. And when influential figures or public commentators normalise hostile rhetoric, it trickles down, making such language feel acceptable – or even admirable – to their followers. The result is a feedback loop: anger fuels engagement, engagement fuels visibility, and visibility inspires more anger. Without changes to platform design, community norms, or leadership accountability, the cycle can be hard to break.
But is it really that simple? Some say open platforms expose raw truths, even ugly ones, while heavy-handed moderation risks silencing honest voices. Others argue the system – algorithms, incentives, lax oversight – is rigged to reward rage. The truth is, we can’t just “wish away” the hate. Platforms need to own their role, leaders need to stop fanning the flames, and users – including us – need to resist the bait. If we don’t, the shouting won’t stop – it’ll drown out everything else until hate is the only language left online.
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To me it’s simple. The world has changed and continues to change and not in a good way. Not in a way we would want for our children and grandchildren. And our politicians are ignoring us, breaking all the “rules” with impunity. It’s hardly surprising that people are angry. Perhaps social media is the only outlet open to us? We are told we can have our say on election day, but we can’t because there’s nobody worth voting for, nobody trustworthy, nobody who really has our interests at heart. We do need to be heard, and on social media, there are people who feel our own pain. I can’t imagine what it must be like for young people who grasp the situation they are in.
The billionaire techbros profit from it and therefore foster it. It’s as simple as that.